THE  WHY  AND  HOW 
OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS 


\RTHUR  J.  BROWN 


tihvavy  of  Che  t:heoio0ical  ^tminavy 

PRINCETON  .  NEW  JERSEY 


'^y^  vK* 


FROM  THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

REVEREND  JOHN  ALEXANDER  MACKAY 
LITT.D.,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  L.H.D. 


BV  2060  .B87  1908  c.l 
Brown,  Arthur  Judson,  1856- 

1963. 
The  how  and  why  of  foreign 


mi  .Qcn  nn GL 


<:sW§^^5>^>^-^>^  •^ 


N 


FOREIGN  MISSION  STUDY  COURSES 

EDITED  UNDER  THE  DIRECTION  OF  THE 

YOUNG  PEOPLE'S  MISSIONARY  MOVEMENT  OF  THE 

UNITED  STATES  AND  CANADA 


THE  WHY  AND  HOW 
OF   FOREIGN   MISSIONS 


Leaders'  general  helps  to  accompany  each  text-book  in  the  Forward  Mission 
Study  Courses  and  special  denominational  helps  may  be  obtained  by  corrcspondiiie 
with  the  secretary  of  your  mission  board  or  society. 


New  Hebrides  1858 


THE  WHY  AND  HOW 

OF 

FOREIGN  MISSIONS 


ARTHUR  JUDSON  BROWN 

AUTHOR  OF 

The   New   Era  tn  the   Philippines 
Neiv   Forces  in   Old   China 
The  Foreign   Missionary 


EDUCATIONAL  DEPARTMENT 

THE  BOARD  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS   OF   THE 

PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  THE   U.  S.   A. 


Copyright,   1908,  by 

Young  People's  Missionary  Movemeni 

of  the  United  States  and  Canada 


TO  THE 

FRIENDS   IN  THE  HOME 

CHURCHES  WHO  HAVE  LOYALLY 

SUSTAINED   THE   CAUSE   OF   FOREIGN 

MISSIONS,    NOT    ONLY   BY   THEIR 

GIFTS,    BUT    BY    THEIR 

SYMPATHY  AND 

PRAYERS 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

Preface     xi 

I     The  Foreign  Mission  Motive i    ♦^ 

II     Foreign  Missionary  Administration 31 

III  Qualifications  and  Appointment 65 

IV  The    Financial    Support    of   the   Missionary 

Enterprise   89 

.      y'  V    The  Missionary  at  work 117 

'   ^VI     The   Native   Church 147 

<' VII     The  Missionary  Enterprise  and  its  Critics..   175 
VIII     The  Spirit  of  the  Missionary 209 

y  IX     The  Home  Church  and  the  Enterprise 22i'>i 

Select  Bibliography   265 

Index    275 


vu 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Pioneer   Missionaries Frontispiece 

Representative    Native    Christians Page     19 

Educational  Missions : 

Wu-chang,    China 

Vellore,    India 

Madras,    India 

Freetown.   West   Africa 

Madura,    India 

Serampur,    India 

Mission  Printing  Presses : 

Tokio,    Japan 

Rangoon,    India 

Medical  Missions : 

Operating   Room   and   Hospital,   Madura, 

India 

Built  with  Native  Funds 

Military  Company,  Wu-chang,  China 

Football  Team,  Lahore,  India 

Educational  Missions: 

The  Doshisha,  Kioto,  Japan 

Kindergarten,  Hiroshima,  Japan 

Industrial  Missions : 

Aluminum  workers,  Ongole,  India 

Builders,  Quiongoa,  Africa 

Medical  Missions: 

Zenana  Mission  Hospital  Bareilly,  India. . 

Severance  Hospital,  Seoul,  Korea 

Industrial  Missions: 

Weaving,    India 

Lace  Making,  India 

Churches : 

Baroda,  India "     259 

Ahmednagar,    India "     259 

Paoting  fu,  China "     259 

Seoul,    Korea "     259 


57 
57 
107 
107 
121 
121 

127 
127 


131 
131 
167 
167 

181 
181 

201 
201 

221 

221 

249 
249 


PREFACE 

This  book  has  been  prepared  in  compliance 
with  a  request  of  the  Young  People's  Mis- 
sionary Movement  for  a  succinct  statement  of 
those  aspects  of  the  modern  foreign  mission- 
ary enterprise  which  are  of  special  interest  to 
laymen,  in  a  form  adapted  to  the  needs  of  busy 
people  and  of  mission  study  classes.  It  there- 
fore discusses  the  chief  motives  that  prompt 
to  foreign  missionary  effort,  the  objects  that 
are  sought,  the  methods  of  handling  and  ad- 
ministering funds,  the  kind  of  persons  who  are 
appointed  to  missionary  service,  the  work  that 
they  are  doing,  the  difficulties  they  encounter, 
the  spirit  they  manifest,  and  the  objections  and 
criticisms  which  disturb  so  many  people  at 
home.  Prominence  is  given  to  the  large  prob- 
lems which  are  involved  in  the  magnitude  of 
the  foreign  missionary  enterprise,  and  in  the 
changing  world  conditions  caused  not  only  by 
the  religious  but  by  the  political,  commercial, 
and  intellectual  movements  of  our  age. 

Those  who  are  familiar  with  the  author's 
larger  book.  The  Foreign  Missionary,  will 
note  that  much  of  the  material  of  this  book  has 
been  taken  from  that  volume.  The  present 
work,  however,  is  not  a  condensation  of  the 
larger  one,  nor  is  it  intended  to  take  its  place. 

xi 


xii  Preface 

The  idea  in  this  book  is  simply  to  take  such 
parts  of  The  Foreign  Missionary  as  may  be 
of  special  interest  to  laymen  who  desire  a 
brief  statement  of  the  essential  elements  of 
the  foreign  missionary  movement,  leaving 
The  Foreign  Missionary,  not  only  as  a  work  of 
reference,  but  as  a  preferable  volume  for 
student  volunteers  and  missionaries. 

I  gladly  acknowledge  valuable  suggestions 
from  the  Editorial  Committee  of  the  Young 
People's  Missionary  Movement  in  adapting 
this  book  to  the  use  of  mission  study  classes. 

Arthur  Judson  Brown. 
New  York  City, 
April  20,   1908. 


THE    FOREIGN    MISSIONARY    MOTIVE 


The  goal  of  history  is  the  redemption  of  the 
world.  The  consummation  of  all  missionary  en- 
deavor will  be  when  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ 
has  become  universal.  Hence,  the  aim  of  missions 
is  to  make  Jesus  Christ  known  to  every  creature, 
so  that  he  may  have  an  intelligent  opportunity  to 
accept  Him  as  his  Savior. 

— /.  Ross  Stevenson 

So,  to  sum  the  matter  up,  the  Christian  missionary 
motive  is  threefold.  We  are  summoned  by  God  in 
Christ  to  join  with  him  in  doing  that  work  of  saving 
grace  toward  men  which  is  nearest  to  his  heart,  and 
we  cannot  refuse:  loyalty  to  God  and  Christ  constrains 
us.  We  have  received  in  Christ  the  best  good  in  life, 
and  are  impelled  from  within  to  impart  it:  love  to 
men  constrains  us.  The  world  needs  the  gift,  and  needs 
if  now:  and  the  tremendous  want  constrains  us.  The 
threefold  motive  is'''liIstTfi^d'"l)y  present  facts  and  by 
eternal  realities,  and  there  is  nothing  that  can  legiti- 
mately deprive  it  of  its  force,  except  the  full  accom- 
plishment of  the  end.  No  special  views  are  needed 
to  enforce  the  motive.  Taking  the  world  exactly  as 
it  is  and  as  all  sound  knowledge  finds  it,  the  motive 
is  sufficient.  But  it  is  a  spiritual  motive,  and  must 
therefore  be  spiritually  discerned. 

— William  Newton  Clarke 


A  New 
World-View 


THE    FOREIGN    MISSIONARY    MOTIVE 

RECENT  years  have  seen  some  change  of  imphMilf 
emphasis  in  the  motives  which  prompt 
men  to  engage  in  the  foreign  missionary  en- 
terprise. Some  motives  that  stirred  our 
fathers  are  not  as  strongly  operative  to-day, 
but  others  have  emerged  that  were  then  but 
vaguely  discerned. 

It  is  generally  recognized  now  that  mission 
work  must  be  prosecuted  amid  changed  con- 
ditions. Our  constituency  has  a  knowledge  of 
the  non-christian  world  that  in  the  past  it  did 
not  have.  Men  in  our  churches  are  no  longer 
so  ignorant  of  other  peoples.  Books  and  mag- 
azine articles  have  dissipated  the  mystery  of 
the  Orient.  Electricity  enables  the  newspapers 
to  tell  us  every  morning  what  occurred  yester- 
day in  Seoul  and  Peking,  in  Rangoon  and 
Teheran.  Our  treatment  of  the  Chinese  and 
the  Negro  testify  to  the  fact  that  race  preju- 
dice is  still  strong.  Nevertheless,  the  white 
man  does  not  look  down  upon  the  men  of 
other  races  as  he  did  a  century  ago.  He  recog- 
nizes  more  clearly  the  good  qualities   which 


i^ 


4         Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

some  of  the  non-christian  peoples  possess.  He 
hears  more  of  the  industry  of  the  Chinese  and 
the  intellect  of  the  Hindu.  This  recognition  is 
not  unmingled  with  fear.  No  white  man  of  to- 
day despises  the  Japanese,  certainly  not  iii 
Russia;  nor  can  any  one  view  with  unconcern 
the  evidences  of  awakening  national  life  among 
the  teeming  myriads  of  the  Orient. 
Dispelled  The  transition  from  the  first  century  of  Pro- 
testant missions  to  the  second  century 
is  attended  by  no  more  significant  change 
than  this.  People  at  home  are  no  longer 
under  illusions  as  to  what  non-christians  are, 
and  they,  in  turn,  are  no  longer  under  illusions 
as  to  what  we  are.  The  romance  of  missions 
in  the  popular  mind  has  been  largely  dispelled. 
The  missionary  is  no  longer  a  hero  to  the 
average  Christian,  but  a  man  with  a  message 
to  his  fellow  man. 
ivifs'llona^y  There  are,  too,  certain  movements  of  theo- 
obiigation  jQgical  thought  which  must  be  considered. 
Whatever  we  may  think  of  them,  we  cannot 
ignore  their  prevalence,  nor  should  we  argue 
that  they  are  inconsistent  with  missionary  in- 
terest. No  man  should  be  allowed  to  feel  that 
he  is  exempt  from  the  missionary  obligation 
because  he  is  not  influenced  by  our  particular 
motive,  or  because  he  adopts  a  different  inter- 
pretation of  Bible  teaching  regarding  certain 
doctrines.    We  may  deplore  his  interpretation. 


Missionary 


in  Christ 


Foreign    Missionar}'    Motive  5 

but  we  cannot  admit  that  it  releases  him  from 
the  duty  of  cooperating  in  this  work.  Every 
man  who  beHeves  in  a  just  and  loving  personal 
God,  every  man  who  receives  the  benefits  of 
Christianity,  whether  he  shares  our  theological 
convictions  or  not,  is  bound  to  aid  in  the  effort 
to  communicate  those  benefits  to  races  that  do 
not  have  them. 

Changes  in  the  political  and  economic  life  moj!1° "centers 
of  the  world,  in  the  attitude  of  the  Christian 
nations  toward  the  non-christian,  and  their  atti- 
tude in  turn  toward  us,  do  not  impair  the 
primary  missionary  motive.  Rather  do  they 
increase  it.  No  changes  that  have  taken 
place  or  that  can  possibly  take  place 
can  set  aside  the  great  central  facts 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  temporal  and 
eternal  salvation  of  men,  and  that  it  is 
the  duty  of  those  who  know  him  to  tell  others 
about  him.  There  may  be  questions  as  to 
method,  but  no  objection  lies  against  the  essen- 
tial enterprise  that  does  not  lie  with  equal  force 
against  the  fundamental  truths  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion.  Through  all  the  tumult  of  theo- 
logical strife,  the  one  figure  that  is  standing 
out  more  and  more  clearly  and  commandingly 
before  men  is  the  figure  of  the  Son  of  Man, 
the  Divine  and  Eternal  Son  of  the  Ever-Liv- 
ing God.  Tn  him  is  the  true  unity  of  the  race 
and  around  him  cluster  its  noblest  activities. 


6         Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

No  matter  how  much  Christians  may  differ  as 
to  other  things,  they  will  be  more  and  more 
agreed  as  to  the  imperative  duty  and  the  in- 
spiring privilege  of  preaching  Jesus  Christ  to 
the  whole  world. 

^^sTc^ndar'^  Forcigu  missiouary  motives  may  be  divided 
Motives  into  two  main  classes,  primary  and  secondary, 
though  this  classification  is  arbitrary  and 
though  there  may  be  difference  of  opinion  as 
to  the  class  to  which  certain  motives  properly 
belong. 

The  primary  motives,  as  we  conceive  them, 
are  three. 

Expi'He^n°ce\n  ^-  ^^  proportiou  as  thc  soul's  experience 
Christ  jj^  Christ  is  genuine  and  deep,  will  we  de- 
sire to  communicate  it  to  others.  Propaga- 
tion is  a  law  of  the  spiritual  life.  The  genius 
of  Christianity  is  expansive.  Ruskin  reminds 
us  of  Southey's  statement  that  no  man  was 
ever  yet  convinced  of  any  momentous  truth 
y  I  without  feeling  in  himself  the  power  as  well  as 
^  the  desire  of  communicating  it.  That  was  an 
exquisite  touch  of  regenerated  nature,  and  one 
beautifully  illustrative  of  the  promptings  of  a 
normal  Christian  experience,  which  led  An- 
drew, after  he  rose  from  Jesus'  feet,  to  find 
first  his  own  brother,  Simon,  and  say  unto 
him  :  "  We  have  found  the  Messiah.  .  .  . 
He  brought  him  unto  Jesus."  No  external 
authority,  how^ever  commanding,  can  take  the 
place  of  this  internal  motive. 


Foreign   Missionary   Motive  7 

People  who  say  that  they  do  not  beheve  in  fjmmu"ica?e 
foreign  missions  are  usually  quite  unconscious 
of  the  indictment  which  they  bring  against  their 
own  spiritual  experience.  The  man  who  has 
no  religion  of  his  own  that  he  values  of  course  ^ 
is  not  interested  in  the  effort  to  make  it  known 
to  others.  One  may  be  simply  ignorant  of 
the  content  of  his  faith  or  the  real  character  of 
the  missionary  movement,  but  as  a  rule  those 
who  know  the  real  meaning  of  the  Christian 
experience  are  conscious  of  an  overmastering 
impulse  to  communicate  it  to  others. 

2.  He  who  has  knowledge  that  is  essential  to  Need?t°clfr?st 
the  welfare  of  his  fellow  men  is  under  solemn**^ 
obligation  to  convey  that  knowledge  to  them. 
It  makes  no  difference  who  those  men  are,  or 
where  they  live,  or  whether  they  are  conscious 
of  their  need,  or  how  much  inconvenience  or 
expense  he  may  incur  in  reaching  them.  The 
fact  that  he  can  help  them  is  reason  why  he 
should  help  them.  This  is  an  essential  part  of 
the  foreign  missionary  impulse.  We  have  the 
revelation  of  God  which  is  potential  of  a  civ- 
ilization that  benefits  man,  an  education  that 
fits  him  for  higher  usefulness,  a  scientific 
knowledge  that  enlarges  his  powers,  a  medical 
skill  that  alleviates  his  sufferings,  and  above 
all  a  relation  to  Jesus  Christ  that  not  only  lends 
new  dignity  to  this  earthly  life  but  that  saves 
his  soul  and  prepares  him  for  eternal  compan- 


8         Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

ionship  with  God.  "  In  none  other  is  there 
salvation."  Therefore,  we  must  convey  this 
gospel  to  the  world.  There  is  no  worthy  rea- 
son for  being  concerned  about  the  salvation  of 
the  man  next  to  us  which  is  not  equally  appli- 
cable to  the  man  five  thousand  miles  away. 

soufRTq'^urre°ci  '^^  ^^  hard  to  rcalizc  this  concerning  those 
who  are  so  distant."  Precisely;  foreign  mis- 
sionary interest  presupposes  breadth  of  soul. 
Any  one  can  love  his  own  family,  but  it  takes 
7  a  high-souled  man  to  love  all  men.  He  who 
has  that  which  the  world  needs  is  debtor  to  the 
world.  The  true  disciple  would  feel  this  even 
if  Christ  had  spoken  no  command.  The  mis- 
sionary impulse  would  have  stirred  him  to 
spontaneous  action.  Christ  simply  voiced  the 
highest  and  holiest  dictates  of  the  human  heart 
when  he  summoned  his  followers  to  mission- 
ary activity.  The  question  whether  the 
heathen  really  need  Christ  may  be  answered 
by  the  counter-question:  Do  we  need  him? 
and  the  intensity  of  our  desire  to  tell  them 
of  Christ  will  be  in  proportion  to  the  intensity 
of  our  own  sense  of  need. 

saivat^icnstm       ^^  ^^  ^^^  j^^^j.  ^^  ^^^^  ^^  ^^^^  fathcrs 

heard  of  the  motive  of  salvation  of  the 
heathen.  Our  age  prefers  to  dwell  upon  the 
blessings  of  faith  rather  than  upon  the  conse- 
quences of  unbelief.  And  yet  if  we  believe 
that  Christ  is  our  ''  life,"  it  is  impossible  to 


Foreign   Missionary   Motive  9 

avoid  the  conclusion  that  to  be  without  Christ 
is  death.  Reason  as  v^ell  as  revelation  tells 
us  that  man  has  sinned,  that  "  the  wages  of 
sin  is  death,"  and  that  this  truth  is  as  applica- 
ble to  Asia  and  Africa  as  to  Europe  and 
America.  We  grant  that  it  is  possible  that 
some  who  have  never  heard  of  Christ  may  be 
saved.  The  Spirit  of  God  is  not  shut  up  to 
the  methods  that  have  been  revealed  to  us. 
He  works  when  and  where  and  how  he  pleases. 
In  ways  unknown  to  us,  he  may  apply  the  ben- 
efits of  redemption  to  those  who,  without  op- 
portunity to  accept  the  historic  Christ,  may 
live  up  to  the  light  they  have.  Missionaries 
tell  us  that  they  seldom  find  such  cases;  but 
we  should  not  dogmatize  regarding  every  indi- 
vidual of  the  millions  who  have  never 
been  approached. 

Taking  non-christian  peoples   as   we  know  ^*^*V°£  •  .• 

*^  .  Non-Chnstian 

them,  however,  it  is  sorrowfully,  irrefutably  People 
true  that  they  are  living  in  known  sin,  and 
that  by  no  possible  stretch  of  charity  can  they  ^  ' 
be  considered  beyond  the  necessity  for  the  re- 
vealed gospel.  Various  statements  and  figures 
are  used  in  the  New  Testament  to  express  the 
condition  of  those  who  know  not  Christ,  but 
whether  they  are  interpreted  literally  or  figu- 
ratively, their  fundamental  meaning  is  plain. 
Jesus  came  "to  save,"  and  salvation  is  from 
something.       A  charitable  hope  that  some  are 


lo       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

living  like  the  pious  Hebrews  before  the  in- 
carnation does  not  lessen  our  duty  to  give  them 
the  clearer  knowledge,  which,  like  Simeon  of 
old,  they  would  eagerly  welcome,  nor  does  it 
modify  in  the  least  our  obligation  toward  the 
masses  v^ho  are  living  on  a  lower  level.  The 
Light  shines  for  all,  and  those  who  see  it  must 
spread  the  tidings;  for  every  man,  however 
degraded,  is 

"Heir  of  the  same  inheritance, 
Child   of   the    self-same    God. 

He  hath  but  stumbled  in  the  path 
We  have  in  weakness  trod." 

The  command^of  ^f.  The  circumstauccs  in  which  he  expressed 
his  wish  were  inexpressibly  solemn.  He  had 
risen  from  the  dead  and  was  about  to  ascend  to 
the  Father.  But  ere  he  left  his  disciples,  he  said 
unto  them :  "  All  authority  hath  been  given 
unto  me  in  heaven  and  on  earth.  Go  ye  there- 
fore, and  make  disciples  of  all  the  nations, 
baptizing  them  into  the  name  of  the  Father 
and  of  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Spirit:  teach- 
ing them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I 
commanded  you:  and  lo,  I  am  with  you  al- 
ways, even  unto  the  end  of  the  world."^  A 
little  later,  he  reiterated  the  charge :  "  Ye 
shall  be  my  witnesses  both  in  Jerusalem,  and 
in  all  Judea  and  Samaria,  and  unto  the  utter- 

iMatt.    xxviii.    18-20. 


Foreign   Missionary   Motive  ii 

most  part  of  the  earth. "^  ''And  he  Hfted  up 
his  hands  and  blessed  them"^  ''And  a  cloud 
received  him  out  of  their  sight."^ 

There  is  no  gainsaying  that  command.  ^om"eTn'gbrder 
Whether  we  consider  the  Person  who  gave  it, 
the  circumstances  in  which  it  was  given,  or 
the  duty  imposed,  we  must  regard  it  as  the 
weightiest  of  utterances.  If  it  were  the  only 
motive,  foreign  missionary  work  would  be  a 
mechanical  performance  of  duty,  the  mission- 
ary merely  an  obedient  soldier;  but  taken  in 
connection  with  the  preceding  motives,  it  adds 
the  impressive  sanctions  of  divine  authority. 
It  is  the  bugle  call  which,  to  the  true  soldier, 
never  loses  its  thrilling,  response-compelling 
power.  It  is  not  a  request;  not  a  suggestion. 
It  leaves  nothing  to  our  choice.  It  is  an  order, 
comprehensive .  and  unequivocal,  a  clear,  per- 
emptory, categorical  imperative    :  "  Go !" 

No  one  can  read  the  New  Testament  with-  JS^  ^"P"?J5.  ,,.,. 

Thought  oi  Christ 

out  seeing  that  the  evangelization  of  the  world 
was  the  supreme  thought  of  Christ.  He  came 
into  the  world  to  save  it.  He  sought,  not 
merely  for  the  rich  and  influential,  but  for 
men  as  men,  irrespective  of  their  wealth  or 
position.  When  the  blind  beggar  cried  out  to 
him  for  help,  he  said  unto  him :  "  Go  thy 
way;  thy  faith  has  made  thee  whole."^  When 
he  saw  the  famishing  multitude,  he  "  had  com- 

1  Acts  i.  8.     ^  Luke  xxiv.   50.     ^  Acts  i.  9.     *  Mark  x.   52. 


12       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

passion  on  them,  because  they  were  as  sheep 
not  having  a  shepherd."^  He  could  not  bear 
to  see  men  perish,  and  the  thought  of  it  caused 
him  keenest  agony.  He  was  himself  a  mis- 
sionary, and  his  entire  ministry  was  a  mis- 
sionary ministry.  While  his  earthly  life  was 
confined  to  Palestine,  he  made  it  clear  that 
the  scope  of  his  purpose  was  world-wide.  He 
plainly  said :  '*  Other  sheep  I  have,  which  are 
not  of  this  fold:  them  also  I  must  bring,  and 
they  shall  hear  my  voice."^ "  He  declared  that 
"  God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  on 
him  should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life."^ 
He  taught  the  sublime  truth  of  the  Fatherhood 
of  God  and  the  brotherhood  of  man.  He 
broke  down  the  partition  wall  between  Jew 
and  Gentile.  In  an  age  when  men  regarded 
men  of  other  races  as  foes,  he  said :  "  Love 
your  enemies."  He  showed  the  race-proud 
Jews  that  the  Samaritan  was  their  "  neigh- 
bor." Going  ''  into  the  borders  of  Tyre  and 
Sidon,"  he  saved  a  poor  Syrophoenician  wo- 
man.* From  heaven  he  gave  Paul  his  com- 
mission to  the  Gentiles.  With  a  vision  of 
world  conquest,  he  exclaimed :  "  1  say  unto 
you,  that  many  shall  come  from  the  east  and 
the  west,  and  shall  sit  down  with  Abraham, 


24-26 


Mark    vi.    34.     ^  John    x.    16.     ^  John    iii.    16.     *  Mark    vii. 


Foreign  Missionary  Motive  13 

and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  in  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven."i  "And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  from  the 
earth,    will    draw    all    men    unto    myself."^ 

And  still  the  world's  evangelization  is  his  Thougi?tstifi 
supreme  thought.  He  is  "  the  same  yesterday 
and  to-day,  yea  and  for  ever."  He  knows  no 
distinction  of  race  or  caste.  He  loves  men, 
and,  as  Phelps  has  said,  the  most  attractive 
spots  to  him  are  "those  which  are  crowded 
with  the  densest  masses  of  human  beings." 
Now,  as  of  old,  the  Son  of  Man  looks  upon  a 
sorrowing,  dying  world  with  pity  unutterable. 
This  is  the  attitude  of  the  divine  heart. 
Christ  said  that  when  the  prodigal  "  was  yet 
afar  off,  his  father  saw  him,  and  was  moved 
with  compassion,  and  ran,  and  fell  on  his  neck 
and  kissed  him."  Seeing  him  "  afar  off  "  of  ^^ 
course  means  that  he  was  looking  Tor  him, 
gazing  often  and  with  fatherly  yearning  far 
down  the  road  on  which  he  hoped  and  prayed 
and  knew  that  the  wanderer  would  soon  come. 

His  love  seeks  the  most  distant.  We  com-  ofTi^^ 
placently  imagine  that  God  loves  us  more 
than  any  other  people;  but  the  Shepherd  who 
left  the  ninety  and  nine  sheep  in  the  wilder- 
ness and  sought  the  one  that  was  lost  is  surely 
most  tenderly  solicitous,  not  about  us  in  our 
comfortable,  gospel-lightened  homes,  but  about 
the  oppressed  blacks  of  Africa  and  the  starv- 

^  Matt.    viii.    ii.     'John   xii,    32. 


14       \Miy  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

ing  millions  of  India.  Whoever  fancies  that 
God  does  not  love  all  men  and  that  Christ  does 
not  desire  the  salvation  of  all  men  but  dimly 
sees  the  truth.  Jehovah  is  the  God  of  the 
whole  earth.  Christ  "  is  the  propitiation  for 
.our  sins;  and  not  for  ours  only,  but  also  for 
the  whole  world. "^ 
'^Di''s"bc'dicnc°e  Siucc  the  salvatiou  of  men  is  Christ's  su- 
preme thought,  it  should  be  ours.  How  is  it 
possible  for  one  who  professes  to  follow  Christ 
not  to  believe  in  missions,  when  missions  are 
simply  the  organized  effort  to  carry  out  the 
will  of  the  Master?  Men  talk  about  heresy  as 
if  it  related  only  to  the  creed.  Jesus  said,  "I 
and  the  Father  are  one;"  but  he  also  said, 
''  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the 
gospel  to  the  whole  creation."  Is  it  not  as 
heretical  to  deny  one  statement  as  the  other? 
Failure  to  do  the  will  of  Christ  emasculates 
the  essential  idea  of  the  Church.  There  may 
be  a  noble  edifice,  a  large  congregation,  bril- 
liant oratory,  inspiring  music;  but  if  the  Mas- 
ter's call  is  not  heard  and  heeded,  it  cannot 
be  a  church  of  the  living  God. 
uJ^chd'kuan  Those  who  are  solicitous  about  the  salva- 
tion of  the  heathen  who  die  without  having 
heard  of  Christ  may  well  add  some  concern 
about  the  salvation  of  professed  Christians 
who,  with  the  Bible  in  their  hands,  the  com- 

1  I  John  11.       2 


Foreign   Missionary  Motive  15 

mand  of  Christ  sounding  in  their  ears,  and  the 
condition  of  the  lost  world  before  their  eyes, 
manifest  but  languid  interest  in  the  effort  to 
save  the  world.  It  is  difficult  to  understand 
how  those  who  profess  to  serve  Christ  can 
be  indifferent  to  the  most  important  work 
which  Christ  has  committed  to  his  followers, 
or  how  they  can  expect  his  blessing  while  they 
neglect  his  specific  injunction.  "  If  a  man  love 
me,  he  will  keep  my  word,"  said  Christ;^  and 
the  word  is,  '*Go-preach."  These  words, 
surely  mean  that  Christ  intended  every  one 
of  his  disciples  to  have  some  part  in  the 
effort  to  make  the  gospel  known  to  all  men, 
either  by  personally  going  or  by  giving 
toward  the  support  of  those  who  do  go.  The 
obligation  is  laid  upon  the  conscience  of  every 
Christian.  This  majestic  enterprise  is  of  di- 
vine authority.  When  a  young  clergyman 
asked  the  Duke  of  Wellington  whether  he  did 
not  deem  it  useless  to  attempt  to  convert  India, 
the  great  general  sternly  replied,  *'  What  are 
your  marching  orders,  sir?"  If  we  believe  in 
Christ,  we  must  believe  in  foreign  missions. 

Foreign  missions,   therefore,   is  not  a  side  who!rchi"ch°^ 
issue,  the  object  of  an  occasional  *'  collection ;" 
it  is  the  supreme  duty  of  the  Church,  the  main 
work  of  the  Church.     So  the  first  disciples  un- 
derstood it,  for  they  immediately  went  forth 

^John    xiv.    23. 


i6       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

as  missionaries.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that 
the  word  "  apostle  "  is  derived  from  a  Greek 
word  which  means  one  sent  forth,  a  messen- 
ger, and  that  the  word  "  missionary  "  comes 
from  an  original  which  is  simply  the  Latin 
equivalent  of  the  Greek  apostle.  Therefore 
the  modern  apostle  is  the  missionary,  and 
while  men  at  home  are  disputing  over  apos- 
tolic succession,  the  foreign  missionaries,  who 
are  the  real  apostles  of  the  present,  are  doing 
what  their  lineal  predecessors  did — "  goUng 
away  "  from  home  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
scattered  nations  of  the  earth. 

We  may  well  be  awed  by  the  majesty  of 
Christ's  declaration;  a  lonely  Nazarene,  sur- 
rounded by  a  handful  of  humble  followers, 
calmly  bidding  them  carry  his  teaching  to  the 
most  distant  nations.  They  were  not  to  con- 
fine their  efforts  to  their  own  country.  '*'  The 
whole  creation  "  must  be  reached.  No  excep- 
tions are  to  be  made.  Christ  did  not  say, 
"  Teach  all  nations,  save  those  that  you  deem 
beneath  you;"  nor  did  he  say,  ''Preach  to 
every  creature,  except  the  Hindu  and  Buddhist 
and  Mohammedan,  who  have  religions  of 
their  own."  He  made  the  scope  of  his  com- 
mand absolutely  universal. 
A  Redeemed  j^  jg  ^|-^g  p^rposc  of  God,  Said  Paul,  ''to 
reconcile  all  things  unto  himself."  We  should 
never  lose  sight  of  the  grandeur  of  this  con- 


'The  Whole 
Creation" 


Foreign   Missionary   Motive  17 

caption.  Christianity  is  not  a  life-boat  sent 
out  to  a  sinking  ship  to  rescue  a  few  passen- 
gers and  let  the  rest  go  to  the  bottom.  It  will 
save  all  the  passengers,  unless  they  refuse  to  be 
sared,  and  it  will  save  the  sliip.  The  Bible 
looks  to  a  redeemed  earth.  Let  us  hope  and 
pray  and  work  for  nothing  short  of  that  stu- 
pendous consummation.  Limiting  the  grace 
of  God,  doubting  its  adequacy  for  all  men, 
acting  as  if  it  were  for  America  and  not  for 
Africa  and  the  islands  of  the  sea,  are  sins 
against  the  Holy  Ghost. 

These  are  and  ever  must  remain  the  pri-  MoUve^^' 
mary   motives   of   the   missionary   enterprise. 
There   are   others,    however,    of   a   secondary 
character,    which    are    influential    with    many 
people  and  which  m.ay  be  briefly  enumerated. 

I.  In  many 'ways  the  missionary  is  "the  ad-  civilization 
vance  agent  of  civilization.''  As  the  product 
of  centuries  of  Christian  civilization,  with  all 
its  customs  and  ideals,  he  appears  in  a  rude 
village  in  Africa.  He  opposes  slavery,  poly- 
gamy, cannibalism,  and  infanticide.  He  teaches 
the  boys  to  be  honest,  sober,  and  thrifty;  the 
girls  to  be  pure,  intelligent,  and  industrious. 
He  induces  the  natives  to  cover  their  nakedness, 
to  build  houses,  and  to  till  the  soil.  He  in- 
culcates and  exemplifies  the  social  and  civic 
virtues.  His  own  home  and  his  treatment  of 
his  wife  and  daughters  are  object-lessons  in  a 


1 8       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

community  which  has  always  treated  woman 
as   a   slave.      The   inertia  of   long-established 
heathenism  is  hard  to  overcome,  but  slowly  it 
yields  to  the  new  power,  and  the  beginning  of 
civilized  society  gradually  appears.     Volumes 
might  be  filled  with  the  testimonies  of  states- 
men, travelers,  and  military  and  naval  officers 
to   the   value   of   missionary   work   from   this 
view-point,  and  the  cumulative  power  of  this 
class  of  evidence  is  doubtless  a  large  factor 
in   the   growing   respect   for   missions    in   the 
public  mind.     This  motive  appeals  more  par- 
ticularly to  persons  of  the  intellectual  type. 
Philanthropy       ^      ^j^^    Philanthropic    motive    is    stirred 
by  the   consciousness   of  human   brotherhood 
and  the  natural  desire  to  relieve  the  appalling 
suffering      and      ignorance      which      prevail 
throughout  the  heathen  world.  *  Christ  is  the 
Great  Physician  now  as  of  old.     As  we  see 
the  prevalence  of  disease  and  misery,  the  un- 
tended  ulcers,  the  sightless  eyes  to  which  the 
surgeon's    skill    could    bring    light,    the    pain- 
racked  limbs  pierced  with  red-hot  needles  to 
kill  the  alleged  demon  that  causes  the  suffer- 
ing, and  the  fevered  bodies  that  are  made  ten 
times      worse      by      the      superstitious      and 
bungling   methods   of  treatment,    our  sympa- 
thies  are   profoundly   moved,    and    we   freely 
give  and  labor  that  such  agony  may  be  allev- 
iated.    Medical  missions  with  their  hospitals 


BishopYoitsu  Honda 
Japan 


RevXH.Yun 

HOPEAN  PRINCE 


Foreign   Missionary   Motive  19 

and  dispensaries  strongly  appeal  to  this  mo- 
tive, as  do  also  educational  missions  with  their 
teaching  of  the  principles  of  better  living. 
The  gospel  itself  is  sometimes  preached  and 
supported  from  this  motive,  for  it  is  plain 
that  the  sufferings  of  men  are  diminished  and 
the  dignity  and  the  worth  of  life  increased  by 
the  application  of  the  principles  of  Christian- 
ity to  human  society.  This  motive  appeals 
strongly  to  those  of  the  emotional  type. 

3.  The  argument  from  results  is  the  most  ^^^^J^^/^*" 
decisive  with  many  people  of  the  utilitarian 
type.  They  want  to  see  that  their  money  ac- 
complishes something,  to  know  that  their  in- 
vestment is  yielding  tangible  return.  They 
eagerly  scan  missionary  reports  to  ascertain 
how  many  converts  have  been  made,  how 
many  pupils  are  being  taught,  how  many 
patients  are  being  treated.  Telling  them 
of  successes  achieved  is  the  surest  method 
of  inducing  them  to  increase  their  gifts. 
Mission  boards  often  find  it  difficult  to 
sustain  interest  in  apparently  unproductive 
fields,  but  comparatively  easy  to  arouse  en- 
thusiasm for  fields  in  which  converts  are 
quickly  made.  The  Churches  are  eager  and 
even  impatient  for  results.  Fortunately,  in 
many  lands  results  have  been  achieved  on  such 
a  scale  as  to  satisfy  this  demand.  But  in  other 
lands  not  less  important  weary  years  have  had 


20       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

to  be  spent  in  preparing  the  soil  and  sowing 
the  seed,  and  hard-working  missionaries  have 
been  half  disheartened  by  the  insistent  popular 
demand  for  accounts  of  baptisms  before  the 
harvest  time  has  fairly  come. 

^][nc?e^sii!giy       Thcrc  is,  apparently,  a  growing  disposition 
Emphasized  ^^  ^^^j^  ^j^-^  ^^^j^^j^  ^j^^^  ^^  motivcs.    The  basis 

of  the  missionary  appeal  has  noticeably 
changed  within  the  last  generation.  Our  com- 
mercial, humanitarian,  and  practical  age  is 
more  impressed  by  the  physical  and  the  tempor- 
al than  the  actual  and  the  utilitarian.  The  idea 
of  saving  men  for  the  present  world  appeals 
more  strongly  than  the  idea  of  saving  them 
for  the  next  world,  and  missionary  sermons 
and  addresses  give  large  emphasis  to  these 
motives.  We  need  not  and  should  not  under- 
value them.  They  are  real.  It  is  legitimate 
and  Christian  to  seek  the  temporal  welfare  of 
our  fellow  men,  to  alleviate  their  distresses,  to 
exalt  woman,  and  to  purify  society.  It  is, 
moreover,  true  and  to  the  credit  of  the  mis- 
sionary enterprise  that  it  widens  the  area  of 
the  world's  useful  knowledge,  introduces  the 
conveniences  and  necessities  of  Christian  civ- 
ilization, and  promotes  wealth  and  power; 
while  it  is  certainly  reasonable  that  those  who 
toil  should  desire  to  see  some  results  from 
their  labor  and  be  encouraged  and  incited  to 


Foreign   Missionary   Motive  21 

renewed  diligence  by  the  inspiring  record  of 
achievements. 

But  these  motives  are  nevertheless  distinct-  flf*  °/,fj"* 
ly  secondary.  The  benefits  mentioned  are  ef- 
fects of  the  missionary  enterprise  rather  than 
primary  motives  for  it,  and  the  true  Christian 
would  still  be  obliged  to  give  and  pray  and 
work  for  the  evangelization  of  the  world,  even 
if  not  one  of  these  motives  existed.  More- 
over, with  the  wider  diffusion  of  knowledge, 
some  of  these  considerations  are  becoming 
relatively  less  important.  Japan,  India,  and 
the  Philippines  have  schools  which  give  ex- 
cellent secular  training,  and  philanthropic  in- 
stitutions under  secular  auspices,  though  un- 
doubtedly due  to  Christian  influences,  are  be- 
ginning to  come  into  existence.  As  for  civil- 
ization, some  non-christian  lands  already  have 
civilizations  of  their  own,  more  ancient  than 
ours,  and,  so  far  as  moral  questions  are  not 
involved,  quite  as  well  adapted  to  their  needs, 
while  our  own  civilization  is  not  by  any  means 
wholly  Christian.  Whether  men  are  civilized 
or  not,  we  must  continue  our  missionary  work. 
The  achievements  of  a  hundred  years  of  mis- 
sionary effort  are  encouraging;  but  if  they 
were  not,  our  duty  would  not  be  affected.  We 
are  to  do  what  is  right,  though  we  never  see 
visible  results.  Christ's  life  was  a  failure, 
from  the  view-point  of  his  own  generation ;  so 


22       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

were  the  efforts  of  Paul  and  Peter  and 
Stephen;  but  later  generations  saw  the  rich 
fruitage.  Like  them,  the  true  missionary  toils 
from  motives  that  are  independent  of  present 
appearances.  He  knows  that  he  is  working 
with  God,  for  God,  and  in  obedience  to  God, 
and,  with  Faber,  he  is  confident  that  in  the 
end, 

"He  always  wins  who  sides  with  God; 
With  Him  no  chance  is  lost." 

Aims  to  Be  Kept  j^  jg  important  that  we  should  have  a  clear 
idea  of  the  aim  of  the  missionary  enterprise. 
Of  course,  all  know  in  a  general  way  that  it 
is  proposed  to  ''convert  the  heathen;"  but  be- 
yond that,  many  who  support  the  work  and  even 
some  who  apply  for  appointment  appear  to 
have  only  vague  ideas.  But  the  missionary 
movement  is  not  a  mere  crusade.  It  has  cer- 
tain definite  aims,  and  these  aims  must  be 
kept  clearly  in  mind  if  the  work  is  to  be  in- 
telligently and  ef^ciently  done. 
A  P^I^Ji^jJ  First  of  all,  the  aim  is  to  present  Christ  so 
intelligently  to  men  that  they  will  accept  him 
as  their  personal  Savior. 
iiSeUi^entf^  Emphasis  should  be  laid  upon  the  word  "  in- 
Known  telligently."  This  idea  excludes  the  hurried 
and  superficial  presentation  of  the  gospel.  It 
is  not  enough  to  go  into  a  non-christian  com- 
munity,  proclaim   Christ   for  a   few   days  or 


Foreign   Missionary   Motive  23 

months,  and  then  pass  on,  in  the  beHef  that 
we  have  discharged  our  responsibihty.  Even 
Americans  and  Europeans  with  all  their  gen- 
eral knowledge  do  not  grasp  new  ideas  so 
quickly  as  that,  and  we  cannot  reasonably  ex- 
pect other  races  to  do  so.  To  a  large  part  of 
the  non-christian  world,  Christ  is  still  un- 
known, even  by  name,  and  a  great  majority 
of  those  who  have  heard  of  him  know  him 
only  in  such  a  general  way  as  most  people  in 
this  country  have  heard  of  Mencius  or  Zoro- 
aster. Of  his  real  character  and  relation  to 
men,  they  know  nothing,  nor  does  it  ever  oc- 
cur to  them  that  they  are  under  any  obliga- 
tion to  him.  Moreover,  what  little  they  have 
heard  of  him  as  a  historical  personage  is  be- 
clouded and  distorted  by  all  the  inherited  and 
hostile  presumptions  of  age-old  prejudices, 
superstitions,  and  spiritual  deadness.  In  such 
circumstances,  to  make  Christ  intelligently 
known  is  apt  to  be  a  long  and  perhaps  a  weari- 
some effort.  Carey  in  India  and  Morrison  in 
China  toiled  seven  years  before  their  hearts 
were  gladdened  by  one  solitary  convert.  Tyler 
in  South  Africa  saw  fifteen  laborious  years 
pass  before  the  first  Zulu  accepted  Christ, 
while  Gilmour  preached  for  twenty  years  in 
Mongolia  before  visible  results  appeared. 
After  the  Asiatic  mind  once  fairly  grasps  the 
new    truth,    progress    usually    becomes    more 


24       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

rapid ;  but  at  first  and  sometimes  for  long  per- 
iods, it  is  apt  to  be  painfully  slow.  The  mis- 
sionary and  the  Church  that  supports  him 
often  have  need  of  patience. 
Spiritual  End  in  In  Urging  cuiphasis  on  the  evangelistic  phases 
of  the  work,  we  are  not  unmindful  of  the  value 
of  other  forms  of  missionary  activity.  The 
missionary  is  following  the  example  of  Christ 
in  alleviating  the  bodily  sufferings  of  men, 
while  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  translate  and 
print  the  Bible,  to  create  a  Christian  literature, 
to  teach  the  young  and  to  train  them  for  leader- 
ship in  the  coming  Church.  Man  must  be  in- 
fluenced at  every  stage  of  his  career  and 
shown  that  Christianity  is  adapted  to  his 
present  state  as  well  as  to  his  future  life. 
Nevertheless,  hospitals  and  schools  and 
presses  are  means,  not  ends.  The  aim  is  not 
philanthropic  or  educational  or  literary,  but 
spiritual.  They  are  of  value  just  in  propor- 
tion as  they  aid  the  evangelistic  effort,  either 
by  widening  its  opportunity  or  by  conserving 
its  results.  It  is  a  new  birth,  an  internal,  not 
an  external  transformation,  that  men  most 
vitally  need.  The  external  transformation 
will  follow. 
An  Indigenous  ^\^\^  pcrsoual  prcseutatiou  of  Christ  with  a 
view  to  men's  acceptance  of  him  as  Savior  is 
to  issue  as  soon  as  possible  in  the  organization 
of    converts    into    self-propagating,    self-sup- 


Foreign   Missionary   Motive  25 

porting,  and  self-governing  churches.  This  is 
a  vital  part  of  the  missionary  aim.  Christian- 
ity will  not  control  a  nation's  life  as  long  as  it 
is  an  exotic.  It  must  become  an  indigenous 
growth.  To  this  end,  effort  must  be  put  forth 
to  develop  the  independent  energies  of  the 
converts.  The  new  convert  is  usually  a  spir- 
itual child,  and  like  a  physical  child,  he  must 
be  for  a  time  "  under  tutors  and  governors ;" 
but  the  instruction  looks  to  the  development 
of  self-reliant  character.  In  the  words  of 
Lawrence :  "  God's  great  agent  for  the 
spread  of  his  kingdom  is  the  Church, 
.  .  .  .  and  missions  exist  distinctly  for 
the  Church.  .  .  .  Then  the  Church  of  each  land, 
thus  planted,  must  win  its  own  people  to 
Christ."! 


SUGGESTIONS   FOR   USING   THE    QUESTIONS 

Most  of  these  questions  are  thought  questions.  That 
is,  they  require  for  their  answers  some  original  think- 
ing. This  form  of  question  has  been  chosen  for  in- 
sertion in  the  text-book  (i)  because  questions  which 
constitute  a  mere  memory  test  of  the  facts  of  the  text 
can  easily  be  constructed  by  any  leader  or  member  who 
makes  an  outline  of  the  principal  facts,  and  (2)  be- 
cause mere  memory  questions,  although  they  have  their 
uses,  yield  far  less  than  thought  questions  either  in 
mental    development   or   in   permanent    impression.     In 

1  Lawrence,  Modern  Missions  in  the  East,  31. 


26      Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

some  cases  complete  answers  will  be  found  in  the  text- 
book; usually  statements  that  will  serve  as  a  basis 
for  inference;  but  a  few  questions  appeal  solely  to  the 
general  knowledge  and  common  sense  of  the  student. 
The  greatest  sources  of  inspiration  and  growth  will 
be,  not  what  the  text-book  adds  to  the  student,  but 
what  the  student  adds  to  the  text-book;  the  former  is 
only  a  means  to  the  latter. 

In  using  these  questions,  therefore,  let  the  leader  first 
gather  from  the  chapter  or  from  previous  chapters 
all  that  relates  to  the  subject.  It  will  be  found  profit- 
able to  jot  down  this  material  so  that  it  will  be  all 
under  the  eye  at  once;  then  think,  using  freely  all  the 
knowledge,  mental  power,  and  reference  books  avail- 
able. For  the  sake  of  definiteness,  conclusions  should 
be  written  out.  It  is  not  supposed  that  the  average 
leader  will  be  able  to  answer  all  these  questions  satis- 
factorily; otherwise,  there  would  be  little  left  for  the 
class  session.  The  main  purpose  of  the  session  is  to 
compare  imperfect  results  and  arrive  at  greater  com- 
pleteness by  comparison  and  discussion. 

It  is  not  supposed  that  the  entire  list  of  questions 
will  be  used  in  any  one  case,  especially  when  the  sessions 
last  only  an  hour.  The  length  of  the  session,  the  ma- 
turity of  the  class,  and  the  taste  of  the  leader  will  all 
influence  the  selection  that  will  be  made.  In  many  cases 
the  greatest  value  of  these  questions  will  be  to  suggest 
others  that  will  be  better.  Those  marked  *  require  more 
mature  thought  and  should  be  made  the  basis  of  dis- 
cussion. 

There  has  been  no  attempt  to  follow  the  order  of 
paragraphs  in  the  text-book  in  more  than  a  general 
way. 


Foreig-n   Missionary   Motive  27 

QUESTIONS  ON  CHAPTER  I 

Aim  :  To  Determine  an  Adequate  Aim  for  Foreign 
Missions  Based  Upon  Adequate  Personal 
Motives 

1.  What  is  your  definition  of  a  Christian?      *^ 

2.  What  are  the  principal  privileges  of  the  Christ- 
ian life?  Arrange  in  the  order  of  their  im- 
portance. 

3.  How  do  they  seem  to  you  to  compare  in  value 
with  mental  or  physical  benefits? 

4.  To  what  part  of  mankind  are  these  privileges 
open? 

5.  Is  there  anything  in  the  nature  of  these  privi- 
leges that  would  especially  lead  you  to  share 
them  ? 

6.  What  would  you   take  to  permit  your  sister,1    -^ 
or  daughter,  to  grow  up  from  infancy  in  heath-  ; 

en  society?  \ 

7.  Would  she  not  have  a  chance  of  being  saved,  \ 
if  she  lived  up  to  the  light  she  had? 

8.  Would  you  be  satisfied  to  have  her  merely  sur- 
rounded by  the  influences  of  Christian  society? 

9.  What  would  she  miss  by  not  having  a  person- 
al knowledge  of  Christ? 

10.  What  parts   of  the   Vs'orld   seem   to  you   to  be 
in  the  most  need  of  Christianity? 

11.  What    do   you    understand   to   be    the    purpose    U*^ 
for  which  Christ  came  into  the  world? 

12.  How  wide-reaching  was  this  purpose? 

13.  What  place  did  it  have   in  his  thoughts? 

14.  How  did  he  expect  it  to  be  carried  out? 

15.  What  passages  of  Scripture  can  you  quote  in 
support    of    your    opinions    on    the    last    three 

questions  ? 


28       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

i6.  What  do  you  consider  the  principal  personal 
obligations   resting  on  every  Christian? 

17.  What  is  the  relation  of  these  obligations  to  the 
privileges  of  the  Christian  life? 

18.  What  claim  has  foreign  missions  upon  Christ- 
ians who  happen  to  be  interested  in  other 
things  instead? 

19.  What  place  ought  it  to  occupy  in  the  prayer 
and  giving  and  service  of  the  average  Christ- 
ian at  home? 

20.  Word  what  seems  to  you  the  strongest  motive 
for  pursuing  the  work  of   foreign  missions. 

21. 1   Are  there  any  reasons   why  the  responsibility 
-^    I   of  the  present  generation  is  greater  than  that 
of  those  that  are  past? 

22.  Tell  all  the  things  you  would  need  to  know  and 
do,  in  order  to  make  Christ  intelligently  known 
in  a  heathen  village,  where  he  had  never  been 
preached. 

23.  Would  it  be  sufficient  to  make  a  correct 
statement  of  the  way  of  salvation  just  once 
to  each  individual  in  the  village? 

24.  Would  you  consider  that  you  had  fulfilled  your 
Christian  duty  to  your  own  brother  when  you 
had  done  that  much  for  him? 

25.  What  is  there  in  the  two  cases  that  is  not 
parallel? 

26.  Should  we  expect  our  missionaries  in  person 
to  make  Christ  intelligently  known  to  each 
individual  of  the  heathen  world? 

'zy.  By  what  agency  will  the  mass  of  the  non- 
christian    world    be    evangelized? 

28.  What  is  the  principal  aim  of  the  foreign 
missionary  force? 

29.  To  what  extent  will  the  civilizing  motive 
contribute  to  this  aim? 


Foreign   Missionary  Motive  29 

30.  To    what    extent,    the    philanthropic    motive? 

31.  In  what  way  might  the  desire  for  results 
hinder   the   complete    realization   of    this    aim? 

32.  In  view  of  the  combined  motives  for  foreign 
missionary  work  how  does  its  claim  on  the 
individual  Christian  and  on  the  Christian 
Church  seem  to  you  to  compare  with  that  of 
other  causes? 

References  for  Advanced   Study. — ^Chapter   I 

I.     Motives  for  Foreign  Missions. 

Barton:   The  Unfinished  Task,   11. 

Behrends :  The  World  for  Christ,  I. 

Bliss:  A  Concise  History  of  Missions,  Part  III, 

Chap.   I. 

Clarke:  A  Study  of  Christian  Missions,  I,  II. 

Mott :   The   Evangelization  of  the   world   in   this 

Generation,   11. 

Ray:  The  Highway  of  Mission  Thought,  I. 

Speer :    Missionary   Principles   and   Practice,   III. 

Stock :  A  Short  Hand  Book  of  Missions,  III,  IV. 

World-W'ide    Evangelization,    (Toronto    Conven- 
tion) 29-36. 
II.     Aims  of  Foreign  Missions. 

Barton :  The  Unfinished  Task,  I. 

Clarke:   A   Study  of  Christian  Missions,  III. 

Hall :   The  Universal   Elements   of  the  Christian 

Religion,  I. 

Martin:  Apostolic  and  Modern  Missions,  II. 

Missionary    Issues    of    the    Twentieth    Century, 

23-32. 

Mott:   The  Evangelization  of  the  World  in  this 

Generation,  I. 

Speer :  Missionary  Principles  and  Practice,  IV,  V. 

Welsh:  The  Challenge  of  Christian  Missions,  X. 


FOREIGN  MISSIONARY 
ADMINISTRATION 


The  great  problem  in  the  administration  of  missions 
is  to  combine  in  due  proportions  decentralization  in 
the  conduct  of  details  and  centralization  in  the  settle- 
ment of  principles.  On  the  importance  of  the  former 
all  are  agreed ;  but  not  on  the  value  of  the  latter.  There 
has  sometimes  been  a  tendency  to  resent  the  control 
of  a  central  body  on  the  ground  that  its  members 
cannot  know  the  mission  as  well  as  those  actually  in 
the  field.  To  a  large  extent,  however,  the  reverse 
is  the  case.  The  central  body,  no  doubt,  cannot  know 
the  details  of  any  one  particular  mission  so  well  as 
the  missionaries  in  that  mission;  but  those  missionaries 
only  know  their  own  mission,  while  the  central  body 
[  can  know,  and  often  does  know,  the  missions  of 
the  society  generally,  and  in  considering  questions  of 
missionary  policy  and  method  the  experiences  of  several 
missions  is  often  the  best  guide  for  the  administration 
of  any  one  of  them.  Moreover,  the  central  body  gen- 
erally comprises  not  only  clergymen  and  laymen  in 
the  home  Church  who  have  made  a  careful  study  of 
the  missionary  problems,  but  also  retired  missionaries 
of  long  experience  from  different  parts  of  the  world, 
and  civil  and  military  officers  who  have  been  the  friends 
and  supporters  of  missions  in  the  countries  where  they 
served,  particularly  in  India. 

— Eugene   Stock 


3a 


II 

FOREIGN  MISSIONARY 
ADMINISTRATION 

^IITORLD  evangelization  being  the  su-  ^e'^esSy''^"''' 
^  ^  preme  work  of  the  Church,  the 
method  of  administration  should  be  com- 
mensurate in  scope  and  dignity  with  the  task- 
to  be  performed.  Such  a  work  cannot  be 
properly  done  by  individuals,  n^r  by  congre- 
gations acting  separately.  It  is  too  vast,  the 
distance  too  great,  the  single  act  too  small,  v,  ^^p^''-^'" 
Local  churclies  do  not  have  the  experience  in  ■  t  "^  " 

dealing  with  missionary  problems,  nor  the  com- 
prehensive knowledge  of  details  necessary  for 
the  proper  conduct  of  such  an  enterprise. 
Moreover,  the  individual  may  die  or  lose  his 
money.  The  single  church  may  become  in- 
different or  discouraged.  Even  if  neither  of 
these  alternatives  happened,  the  work  would 
lack  stability.  It  would  be  fitful,  sporadic,  too 
largely  dependent  upon  accidental  knowledge 
or  temporary  emotion.  A  chance  newspaper 
article  or  a  visit  from  some  enthusiastic  mis- 
sionary might  direct  a  disproportionate  stream 
of  gifts  to  one  field,  while  others  equally  or 

33 


34       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

perhaps  more  important  would  be  neglected. 
The  wise  expenditure  of  large  sums  of  money 
in  far  distant  lands,  the  checks  and  safeguards 
essential  to  prudent  control,  the  equitable  dis- 
tribution of  workers  and  forms  of  work,  the 
proper  balancing  of  interests  between  widely- 
scattered  and  isolated  points,  the  formulation 
of  principles  of  mission  policy — all  these  re- 
quire a  central  administrative  agency. 
^ope?ati5n/  Foreign  missionary  work  is  in  remote 
lands,  in  different  languages,  among  diverse 
peoples.  It  is,  moreover,  a  varied  and  com- 
plex work,  including  not  only  churches,  but 
day-schools,  boarding  schools,  industrial 
schools,  normal  schools;  colleges,  academic, 
medical,  and  theological ;  inquirers'  classes, 
hospitals,  and  dispensaries;  the  translation, 
publishing,  and  selling  of  books  and  tracts; 
the  purchase  and  care  of  property;  the  health 
and  homes  and  furloughs  of  missionaries; 
fluctuating  currencies  of  many  kinds;  negotia- 
tions with  governments ;  and  a  mass  of  details 
little  undersood  by  the  home  Church.  Prob- 
lems and  interrelations  with  other  work  are 
involved,  which  are  entirely  beyond  the  ex- 
perience of  the  home  minister,  and  which  call 
for  an  expert  knowledge,  only  possible  to  one 
who  devotes  his  entire  time  to  their  acquisi- 
tion. 
^'■|c°ence       ^r.   Cust  says  that  ''the  conduct  of  mis- 


Foreign  Missionary  Administration         35 

sions  in  heathen  and  Mohammedan  countries 
has  already  risen  to  the  dignity  of  a  science, 
only  to  be  learned  by  long  and  continuous  prac- 
tise, discussion,  reading,  and  reflection;  it  is 
the  occupation  of  the  whole  life  and  of  many 
hours  of  each  day  of  many  able  men  selected 
for  the  particular  purpose  by  the  turns  of  their 
own  minds,  and  the  conviction  of  their  col- 
leagues that  they  have  a  special  fitness  for  the 
duty." 

Mr.  Wm.  T.  Ellis,  who  made  a  special  in-  independent 

\  ^  Missions 

vestigation  of  missionary  work  in  1907, 
wrote  from  Japan :  "  My  own  observation 
leads  me  to  conclude  that  independent  mis- 
sions make  more  stir  in  the  homeland, 
where  the  money  is  being  raised  than  they  do 
here.  They  are  usually  temporary,  since 
they  depend  upon  one  man.  .  .  .  The  only 
effectual  missionary  work  that  can  be  pursued 
is  that  conducted  on  a  broad  basis  and  a  long- 
continued  plan  by  the  great  Churches  of  Japan 
and  of  Christian  lands." 

It  is  neither  safe  nor  businesslike  for  the  En^er"p7ise 
Church  to  leave  such  an  undertaking  to  out- 
siders. The  Lord's  work  as  well  as  man's 
work  calls  for  business  methods.  The  Church 
must  take  up  this  matter  itself.  It  must  form 
some  responsible  agency,  whose  outlook  is 
over  the  whole  field,  and  through  which  indi- 
viduals and  churches  may  work  collectively 
and  to  the  best  advantage;  some  lens  which 
shall  gather  up  all  the  scattered  rays  of  local 


36       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

effort  and  focus  them  where  they  are  needed ; 
some  institution  which,  though  *'  men  may 
come  and  men  may  go,"  shall  itself  "  go  on 
forever."  Recognizing  these  things,  each  of 
the  leading  denominations  has  constituted 
a  board^  of  foreign  missions  as  the  great  chan- 
nel through  which  it  shall  unitedly,  wisely, 
and  systematically  carry  on  this  work  for  hu- 
manity and  God. 
Service  of  All  auxiliary  denominational  agencies  are 
Agencies  supposcd  to  coopcrate  with  this  board,  sending 
their  money  to  it  for  administration.  There 
is  no  exception  to  this  in  most  Churches;  but 
in  a  few,  as  for  example,  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church,  the  women's  societies  are  sepa- 
rately organized  and  administer  their  own 
funds.  Every  secretary  could  speak  warmly 
appreciative  words  of  the  loyalty  and  efficiency 
of  many  of  these  organizations. 
Organic  Relation       The   orgauic    relation    of   a   board    to    the 

of  Boards  to      _,  ,        ,  .  .  11  re  1 

Churches  Church  that  it  represents  is  naturally  affected 
by  the  ecclesiastical  system  that  is  involved. 
The  Methodist  Episcopal,  Protestant  Episco- 
pal, Presbyterian,  and  other  bodies  that  have 
an  authoritative  denominational  organization, 
have  created  boards  that  are  directly  amena- 
ble to  the  supreme  judicatories  of  the  Church. 
Churches  like  the  Baptist  and  Congregational, 

^For    the    sake    of    unity    the    word    board    is    used    in    place 

of    committee,    conference,    society,   or    union,    to     designate    the 
denominational    missionary    organization. 


Foreign  Missionary  Administration         37 

that  do  not  have  such  denominational  organiza- 
tion, or  that,  hke  the  Church  of  England,  have 
more  than  one  board  of  foreign  missions,  act 
through  missionary  societies  which,  though 
having  no  formal  relation  to  an  ecclesiastical 
body,  are  nevertheless  distinctively  Church 
agencies  with  the  same  scope  and  authority  as 
other  boards.  The  societies  of  these  Churches 
are  not,  therefore,  "  independent,"  in  the  sense 
in  which  we  have  used  that  term. 

The     method     of     selection     varies.       In  selection  and 

Composition 

Churches  that  have  a  governing  judicatory,  of  Boards 
the  members  of  the  board  are  chosen  by  that 
judicatory.  In  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  the  General  Conference  appoints  a 
Board  of  Managers  consisting  of  thirty-two 
ministers  and  thirty-two  laymen,  together 
with  the  bishops  who  are  ex-officio  members. 
In  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  the  Gen- 
eral Convention  elects  a  Board  of  Managers 
consisting  of  fifteen  clergymen  and  fifteen- 
laymen,  together  with  sixteen  bishops  as  ex- 
ofificio  members,  making  a  total  board  of 
forty-six.  The  Presbyterian  General  As- 
sembly elects  a  Board  of  twenty-one  members, 
of  whom  eleven  are  ministers  and  ten  laymen. 
The  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for 
Foreign  Missions,  representing  the  Congre- 
gational churches  of  the  United  States  and 
Canada,   consists  of  400  corporate  members, 


38       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

who  are  elected  by  the  Board  upon  nomina- 
tion of  ecclesiastical  bodies;  though  to  avoid 
confusion  it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  the 
term  Board,  as  used  by  the  Congregational 
Church,  does  not  refer  to  the  executive  body 
that  is  styled  board  in  this  book,  its  functions 
being  discharged  by  a  Prudential  Committee 
of  twelve  persons  elected  by  the  Board. 
Among  Baptist  churches  of  the  Northern 
States,  the  corresponding  body  is  called  the 
American  Baptist  Missionary  Union,  and  is 
composed  of  all  individuals  and  representatives 
of  churches  that  contribute  toward  the  sup- 
port of  the  work.  There  is  a  Board  of  Man- 
agers consisting  of  seventy-five  members,  "of 
whom  not  more  than  three  fifths  shall  be  min- 
isters and  not  less  than  one  fifth  shall  be 
women."  This  Board  of  Managers  in  turn 
appoints  an  Executive  Committee  of  fifteen, 
eight  being  ministers  and  seven  laymen,  and 
this  Executive  Committee,  like  the  Prudential 
Committee  of  the  American  Board,  is  the  real 
board  in  the  sense  in  which  the  term  is  popu- 
larly understood.  With  the  Southern  Baptists, 
the  board  is  a  standing  committee  of  the  South- 
ern Baptist  Convention.  This  committee  has 
administrative  powers  during  the  intervals  be- 
tween the  sessions  of  the  convention  and  acts 
under  instructions  from  the  convention. 


Foreign  Missionary  Administration         39 

The  majority  of  the  members  of  a  board  gelessfrny''"^ 
usually  live  in  or  near  the  city  in  which  the  l°«^»"2«'* 
board  is  located,  because  "experience  has  proved 
that  a  few  men,  each  of  whom  can  be  easily 
reached,  all  of  whom  have  a  vital  interest  in 
the  trusts  confided  to  them,  will  perform  any 
given  labor  more  efficiently  than  a  large  board 
whose  members  are  so  diffused  as  to  be  sel- 
dom collected,  or  as  to  forget  the  claims  of  a 
duty  whose  immediate  field  is  far  away." 

But  though  the  members  of  a  board  are  HgTcfou^s'^ 
chosen  from  one  part  of  the  country,  they  are  Bo^'^ds"  °^ 
not  sectional  in  spirit.  There  are  no 
wiser  ministers  in  the  country  than  those 
who  are  on  our  boards  of  foreign  missions. 
There  are  no  more  sagacious  business  men  '-^■"^ 
than  the  lay  members  of  those  boards.  Those 
who  sneer  at  mission  boards  forget  that  they 
are  composed  not  only  of  distinguished  cler- 
gymen, but  of  bank  presidents,  successful 
merchants,  railroad  directors,  great  lawyers, 
managers  of  large  corporations — men  who  in 
the  commercial  world  are  recognized  as  au- 
thorities and  are  implicitly  trusted.  Is  their 
judgment  of  less  value  when  they  deal  with 
the  extension  of  the  kingdom  of  God? 

These  men  devote  much  time  and  labor  to  ^q;!^'"''^'''"^ 
the  affairs  of  the  boards,  leaving  their  own 
work,  often  at  great  inconvenience,  to  attend 
board  and  committee  meetings,  earnestly  and 


Executive 
Officers 


40       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

prayerfully  considering  the  things  that  per- 
tain to  this  sacred  cause.  Yet  they  receive 
no  compensation  whatever,  freely  giving  the 
Church  the  benefit  of  their  ripe  experience 
and  business  capacity.  It  would  be  necessary 
to  pay  a  large  sum  to  command  their  services 
for  any  other  cause,  if  indeed  they  could  be 
commanded  at  all.  One  of  them  has  said: 
"  I  could  not  be  hired  to  do  this  work  for 
$5,000  a  year,  but  I  will  do  it  gratuitously 
for  the  sake  of  Christ  and  my  brethren." 
The  churches  owe  much  to  their  boards.  What- 
ever their  shortcomings,  these  agencies  are  un- 
selfishly and  self-sacrificingly  administering  the 
great  trust  that  has  been  committed  to  them, 
and  though  they  may  make  occasional  mis- 
takes, their  loyalty,  devotion,  and  intelligence 
are  a  reasonable  guaranty  that  they  will 
wisely  serve  the  cause  that  is  as  dear  to  them 
as  to  others. 

The  executive  officer  of  a  board  is  the  sec- 
retary, the  larger  boards  having  several  sec- 
retaries. Some  make  the  treasurer  also  an 
executive  officer,  but  others  do  not.  These 
officers  are  usually  elected  by  the  board,  but 
sometimes,  as  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  by  the  General  Conference.  The 
editor  of  The  Interior,  in  discussing  the  per- 
sonnel of  the  mission  boards,  says  that  "  so 
far  from  a  ministerial  life  unfitting  a  man  for 


Foreign  Missionary  Administration         41 

practical  affairs,  the  Church  has  command  of 
the  best  brains  in  the  country  for  the  least 
money,  and  makes  fewer  business  mistakes 
than  the  great  corporations  of  which  we  hear 
so  much."  Devoting  their  entire  time  to  the 
great  interests  entrusted  to  their  supervision, 
secretaries  of  course  receive  a  salary,  though 
it  is  modest  compared  with  the  salaries  paid 
by  the  larger  city  churches.  It  may  interest 
some  who  imagine  that  a  secretaryship  is  one 
of  the  soft  seats  in  Zion  to  know  that  Dr. 
William  N.  Clarke  says  that,  "  in  respect  of 
responsibility  and  laboriousness,  there  is 
scarcely  any  other  Christian  service  that  is 
comparable  to  that  of  the  officers  of  such  so- 
cieties. Missionary  secretaries  have  to  con- 
duct a  work  of  which  the  delicacy  and  diffi- 
culty are  very  largely  unappreciated."  Dr. 
Henry  H.  Jessup,  of  Syria,  testifies,  out  of 
his  personal  experience  as  a  substitute  during 
the  illness  of  a  secretary :  "  Among  the  hard- 
est-worked men  in  the  missionary  ranks  are 
the  secretaries  and  treasurer  of  the  board." 

The  boards  meet  regularly  once  or  twice  oo^klt^' ^"""^ 
each  month.  The  docket  often  includes  forty 
or  fifty  items,  and  comprehends  phases  o/f 
Christian  work  which  in  America  are  usually 
distributed  among  half  a  dozen  different 
boards,  besides  several  undenominational  and 
philanthropic   agencies.      Each   denomination, 


42       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

however,  has  but  one  foreign  board,  and  that 
single  agency  must  concern  itself  not  only 
with  informing  the  churches  and  developing 
their  interests  and  gifts,  but  with  a  multitude 
of  details  incident  to  the  conduct  of  so  vast 
and  varied  an  enterprise  and  its  related  finan- 
cial, industrial,  political,  educational,  medical, 
and  diplomatic  problems. 
Range  of  Office  "The  officcs  of  oue  of  our  great  societies 
are  as  busy  a  hive  of  workers  as  any  financial 
or  mercantile  institution.  Receipts  of  sums 
varying  from  a  few  cents  to  thousands  of  dol- 
lars, and  in  many  cases  aggregating  over  a 
million,  are  recorded,  acknowledged,  cared 
for;  accounts  are  kept  with  every  variety  of 
manufacturer  and  merchant;  payments  are 
made  through  the  great  banking  houses  of 
Europe  and  Asia  to  thousands  of  agents  in 
every  country,  American  and  foreign;  corres- 
pondence affecting  not  merely  the  spiritual 
but  temporal  welfare  of  millions  upon  millions 
of  people  is  carefully  considered  and  filed 
away  for  reference  at  any  moment;  books  are 
published  in  widely  different  languages;  large 
investments  in  real  estate  and  in  buildings  are 
made;  diplomatic  questions,  sometimes  of  im- 
mense importance,  are  considered.  In  fact, 
there  is  probably  no  other  organization  in  the 
world,  except  a  national  government,  that  car- 
ries on  so  varied  and  as  important  lines  of 


Foreign  Missionary  Administration         43 

business  as  does  a  foreign  missionary  so- 
ciety/'i 

The  board  is  divided  into  committees  rep-  committees  and 

^        Departments 

resenting  the  various  mission  fields,  and  there 
is,  in  addition,  a  finance  committee  to  advise 
v^ith  the  treasurer  on  the  details  of  his  office. 
The  administration  of  the  larger  boards  is 
divided  into  departments,  each  officer  conduct- 
ing the  correspondence  relating  to  his  own  de- 
partment. Much  of  that  correspondence  is 
w^ith  the  individual  missionary,  for  the  secre- 
tary tries  to  keep  in  close  touch  with  him  and 
to  form  the  channel  through  which  the  inter- 
est and  cheer  and  love  of  the  home  churches 
flow  out  to  the  lonely  workers  far  away. 
Questions  affecting  mission  expenditure  and 
policy  however  and  all  official  requests  to  the 
board  the  secretary  takes  into  the  "executive 
council,"  which  is  composed  of  all  the  officers 
of  the  board.  There  each  question  is  dis- 
cussed and  a  judgment  reached,  which,  at  the 
next  meeting  of  the  board,  is  presented  to 
that  body  by  the  secretary  in  charge,  and  the 
action  is  not  complete  until  it  has  been  ratified 
by  the  board.  Matters  of  special  importance 
are  considered  by  a  committee  of  the  board  in 
conjunction  with  the  council.  It  will  thus  be 
seen  that  there  is  little  opportunity  for  one- 
man  power  in  the  workings  of  a  board,  inas- 

iDr.   Edwin  M.   Bliss. 


44       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

much  as  each  secretary  must  submit  his  con- 
clusions for  the  approval,  first,  of  the  council, 
and  second,  of  the  board  itself,  and  in  special 
cases,  of  a  committee  besides. 
Careful  Financia^i  j^  the  handling  of  moncy  great  care  is 
taken.  Not  only  is  every  sum  received 
promptly  acknowledged  to  the  giver,  but  a 
public  report  is  made  in  the  annual  report  of 
the  board,  which  is  printed  and  mailed  to  each 
minister  of  the  denomination,  while  extra 
copies  are  freely  given  to  any  laymen  who 
request  them.  Some  boards,  in  addition, 
print  their  receipts  each  month  in  their  mis- 
sionary magazines.  An  annual  contract  is 
made  by  many  of  the  boards  with  a  firm  of 
certified  public  accountants,  whose  representa- 
tives walk  into  the  office  at  any  time,  take  pos- 
session of  all  books  and  vouchers,  and  audit 
all  accounts,  making  their  report,  not  to  the 
treasurer,  but  directly  to  the  finance  commit- 
tee of  business  men.  Every  possible  precau- 
tion is  taken  to  secure  entire  accuracy,  and  so 
great  is  the  care  exercised  and  so  complete  is 
the  system,  that  it  is  not  believed  that  any  ser- 
ious mistake  could  escape  prompt  detection. 
In  1897,  ^  Buffalo  banker  and  a  Pittsburg 
merchant  made  an  exhaustive  examination  of 
the  financial  methods  of  one  of  the  great 
boards,  and  they  bore  "  testimony  to  the  com- 
plete and  businesslike  methods  that  are  fol- 


Foreign  Missionary  Administration         45 

lowed  in  the  office  management,  which,  we  be- 
Heve,  are  fully  up  to  the  best  practise  in  the 
leading  financial  and  industrial  institutions  of 
the  country,  and  give  assurance  that  the  busi- 
ness entrusted  to  this  office  is  promptly,  effi- 
ciently, and  economically  conducted."  Like 
testimony  would  have  followed  an  inquiry 
into  the  methods  of  other  boards.  The  In- 
terior declares  that  "it  can  be  proved  that  no 
trust  company  handles  more  money  at  a  less 
expense,  with  smaller  per  cent,  of  loss,  than 
the  benevolent  agencies  of  our  Church." 

The  majority  of  the  members  and  officers  ^  sacred  Trust 
of  the  board  are  or  have  been  pastors,  and 
the  others  are  members  and  contributing  lay 
officers  of  churches.  They  know,  therefore, 
apart  from  the  board's  correspondence,  that 
the  money  they  receive  comes,  not  only  from 
the  rich,  but  from  the  poor;  that  it  includes 
the  widow's  mite,  the  working  man's  hard- 
earned  wage,  and  that  it  is  followed  on  its 
mission  of  blessing  by  the  prayers  of  loving 
hearts.  So  the  boards  regard  that  money  as 
a  sacred  thing,  a  trust  to  be  expended  with 
more  than  ordinary  care. 

Each  mission  is  required  to  make  an  esti-  Annual  Estimates 
mate  of  its  needs  for  the  year,  not  in  a  lump 
sum,    but   in   an   itemized   statement.      These 
estimates  are  carefully  scrutinized  by  the  exe- 
cutive officers  of  the  board.     Then  the  proba- 


46      Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

ble  income  is  carefully  computed  on  the  basis 
of  average  receipts  for  a  series  of  years,  and 
any  "  signs  of  the  times  "  that  may  indicate 
an  increase  or  a  decrease.  The  grant  is  then 
made,  such  a  "  cut "  being  imposed  upon  the 
total  estimates  as  may  be  necessary  to  bring 
them  within  the  limits  of  expected  income. 
^'*Ex?i^nd?tu°re  Some  cxpcuditure  for  administration  is,  of 
Indispensable  course,  indispcnsablc.  The  work  could  not 
be  carried  on  without  it,  for  a  board  must 
have  offices  and  the  facilities  for  doing  its 
work.  The  scale  of  administration  is  largely 
determined  by  the  ideas  of  the  Church  which 
the  board  represents  and  the  work  that  it  is 
required  to  do.  It  is  hardly  fair  to  cite  the 
low  administrative  expense  of  certain  inde- 
pendent agencies,  for  they  do  not  assume  such 
responsibilities  for  the  maintenance  of  their 
missionaries  as  the  Church  boards.  The 
churches  want  their  missionaries  adequately 
supported  for  a  life-work,  and  that  involves 
an  administrative  agency  commensurate  in 
expensiveness  with  the  obligations  that  it 
must  be  assumed.  Still,  the  cost  of  adminis- 
tration of  the  denominational  boards  is  surpris- 
ingly low.  The  exact  percentage  varies,  as 
some  have  free  rentals  and  unpaid  agents, 
and  as  the  cost  of  stimulating  the  churches  is 
not  always  considered  administrative.  In 
general,  it  may  be  said  that  the  amount  for 


Foreign  Missionary  Administration         47 

administration  proper  ranges  from  five  to 
eight  per  cent.  That  is,  it  takes  but  little 
more  than  the  value  of  a  foreign  postage 
stamp  to  send  a  dollar  to  Asia  or  Africa. 

Is   there   any   mercantile   concern   doing:   a  Relatively  low 

1  •    •  1  -  r  Cost 

great  busniess  and  requirmg  the  services  of  a 
large  number  of  persons  scattered  all  over  the 
world,  whose  percentage  of  expenditure  for 
administration  is  so  low?  Professor  Henry 
van  Dyke  once  made  inquiries  of  several  large 
corporations,  railway,  manufacturing,  and 
mercantile,  and  he  found  that  the  average 
cost  of  administration  was  12.75  P^^  cent., 
while  in  one  great  establishment  it  rose  to 
twenty  per  cent.  The  manager  of  one  of  the 
large  department  stores  in  New  York  told  me 
that  his  expense  for  administration  was 
twenty-two  per  cent.,  and  he  expressed  aston- 
ishment that  the  board's  cost  was  only  about 
one-quarter  of  that.  The  cases  are  not  en- 
tirely parallel;  but  after  making  all  reason- 
able allowance  for  differences,  the  essential 
fact  remains  that  the  cost  of  missionary  ad- 
ministration is  remarkably  low.  About  nine- 
ty-five cents  out  of  every  dollar  go  to  the  work 
in  some  form.  Dr.  John  Hall  of  New  York 
once  said :  "  I  have  been  closely  connected 
with  the  work  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a 
century,  and  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  it 
would  be  difficult  to  find  elsewhere  as  much 


48       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

work  done  at  so  moderate  a  cost  as  in  our  mis- 
sion boards." 
Question  of  Debt  j^  jg  j-^^j-^  difficult  than  many  might 
imagine  to  manage  a  great  board  so  as  to 
avoid  debt.  The  work,  being  conducted  on  so 
large  a  scale  and  over  so  vast  a  territory, 
cannot  be  hurriedly  adjusted  to  financial 
changes  in  the  United  States.  It  has  been 
gradually  developed  through  a  long  series  of 
years,  and  must  from  its  nature  be  stable.  A 
board  cannot  end  its  work  with  the  year  and 
begin  the  next  year  on  a  different  basis.  It 
operates  in  distant  lands,  some  so  remote  that 
from  four  to  six  months  are  required  for  the 
mere  interchange  of  letters.  Plans  and  pledges 
must  therefore  be  made  far  in  advance.  In 
these  circumstances,  it  is  not  easy  to  forecast 
the  future;  but  the  boards  must  do  so,  or  try 
to. 
True  Financial  Morcovcr,  missionarics  are  sent  out  for  a 
^M^fs^si^narYes  ^fc  scrvicc.  They  cannot  be  discharged  at 
any  time,  as  a  merchant  discharges  a  clerk. 
True,  the  board  reserves  the  right  of  recall; 
but  it  justly  feels  that  it  should  not  exercise 
it,  save  for  serious  cause  in  the  missionary 
himself.  Foreign  missionaries,  too,  are  not 
situated  like  home  missionaries — among  peo- 
ple of  their  own  race,  with  partially  self-sup- 
porting congregations  behind  them,  and  with 
larger    churches    within    call,    in    case    their 


P^oreign  Missionary  Administration         49 

board  fails  them.  They  are  thousands  off 
miles  away,  among  different  and  often  hostile 
races,  and  with  usually  no  local  resource.  In 
such  circumstances,  the  board  simply  cannot 
abandon  them.  It  must  pay  their  salaries  and 
pay  them  promptly^  and  it  does  so.  The 
boards  have  retrenched  in  many  other  ways, 
but  the  foreign  missionary  has  received  his 
full  salary,  and  that,  too,  the  very  day  it  was 
due.  We  believe  that  the  home  churches  will 
sustain  the  boards  in  that  policy,  that  they  do 
not  want  them  to  send  a  forlorn  hope  into 
Asia  and  Africa,  and  then  desert  it.  This 
policy,  however,  while  only  just  to  the  mis- 
sionaries, involves  risk  to  the  boards. 

Another  difficulty  experienced  by  the  {^"coml""''' °^ 
boards  is  the  uncertainty  of  income.  The 
churches  will  not  pay  in  advance.  The  aver- 
age church  does  not  even  make  pledges,  and 
has  no  adequate  system  of  raising  money. 
The  tide  of  beneficence  ebbs  and  flows  in  the 
most  startling  ways,  and  of  course  the  board 
is  often  in  danger  of  debt.  The  wonder  is 
that  the  debts  are  not  larger.  Within  sixty 
days  of  the  close  of  its  last  fiscal  year,  one 
board  lacked  $513,000  of  the  sum  needed  to 
meet  its  pledges  to  the  missions,  ten  months 
having  brought  only  about  half  of  the 
amount  needed  for  the  year.  If  the  board 
had  not  borrowed  at  the  banks  during  those 


50      Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

lean  months,  its  missionaries  would  have  suf- 
fered for  the  necessaries  of  hfe  and  its 
schools  and  hospitals  would  have  been  ser- 
iously crippled.  Suppose  some  unforseen 
emergency  had  occurred  in  the  last  two 
months  to  diminish  the  gifts  that  were  nor- 
mally expected  at  that  period — a  financial 
panic,  a  St.  Louis  flood,  or  a  San  Francisco 
earthquake — debt  would  have  been  inevitable. 
Giving  as  Related  The  pcrplcxitics  of  administration  are 
greatly  increased  by  the  special  object  system. 
The  basal  reason  for  giving  should  not,  of 
course,  lie  in  a  particular  person  or  institu- 
tion, but  in  the  considerations  that  were  stated 
in  the  chapter  on  "  The  Foreign  Missionary 
Motive."  However,  giving  to  objects  a- 
side  from  the  authorized  work  by  the 
boards  themselves  can  be  so  safeguarded  as 
to  be  helpful.  It  often  makes  the  cause  con- 
crete and  strengthens  the  sense  of  responsi- 
bility for  its  maintenance.  The  inclinations 
of  earnest  and  friendly  people  to  maintain 
the  work  by  special  object  giving  should  not 
be  indiscriminately  opposed,  but  wisely 
guided.  Within  proper  limits,  they  may  be 
made  to  subserve  wise  ends. 
Extreme  But  whcu  the  givcr  insists  on  having  a  par- 
eman  s  ^j^^^|^j.  ^^tive  pupil  or  helper  assigned  to  him 
and  to  have  letters  from  or  about  the  native 
^  thus    supported,    serious    difficulties    emerge. 


Foreign  Missionary  Administration         51 

The  larger  boards  have  from  thirty  to  fifty 
thousand  of  such  scholars  and  helpers.  These 
myriads  of  individuals  are  constantly  chang- 
ing, and  their  comings  and  goings  and  habits 
and  progress  are  subject  to  greater  fluctua- 
tions than  in  a  like  number  of  people  at  home. 
Imagine  the  plight  of  a  teacher  of  a  primary 
school  in  America  if,  in  addition  to  her  labors 
in  and  out  of  the  classroom,  she  were  expected 
to  correspond  with  the  parents  of  all  her  pu- 
pils, tell  each  pupil  what  he  should  write  to 
his  parents,  and  correct  evei-y  letter  that  he 
sent.  The  plight  of  the  missionary  is  ren- 
dered far  worse  by  the  fact  that  the  children 
are  not  accustomed  to  write  letters  and  do  not 
know  our  language,  so  that  when  a  letter  has 
been  laboriously  gotten  into  shape,  the  un- 
happy teacher  must  add  to  her  assistance  in 
composition  the  toil  of  translating  it  into 
English,  writing  it  out  by  hand,  and  mailing 
it.  Such  demands  upon  a  missionary  are  al- 
together unreasonable,  and  when  the  giver 
adds  a  demand  for  a  photograph  of  a  scholar 
or  helper,  who  never  had  a  picture  taken  in 
his  life,  with  perhaps  no  photographer  within 
a  hundred  miles,  and  no  money  to  pay  one  if 
he  were  available,  patience  is  apt  to  be  ex- 
hausted. 

There   are,   moreover,    administrative  per-  g^/^fg^^rs*'" '"** 
plexities  involved  in  such  excessively  special- 


52       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

ized  giving.  Suppose  a  citizen  should  refuse 
to  contribute  toward  the  expenses  of  his 
community  unless  his  money  could  be  applied 
to  the  grading  of  the  street  in  front  of  his 
house,  or  to  the  salary  of  the  teacher  who  in- 
structs his  children.  How  could  the  adminis- 
tration of  any  municipality  be  conducted,  if 
each  man  insisted  on  having  some  particu- 
lar item  of  city  expenditure  assigned  to  him? 
The  donor  does  not  usually  suspect  the  difficul- 
ties in  his  selection  of  a  special  object.  He 
naturally  chooses  the  most  attractive  phases 
of  the  work,  while  others  less  attractive  but 
equally  important  are  ignored.  Still  less  does 
it  occur  to  him  that  it  has  an  unfortunate  in- 
fluence on  native  helpers  to  know  that  they 
are  specially  supported  from  America.  Cen- 
turies of  poverty  and  oppression  have  predis- 
posed most  Asiatics  and  Africans  to  undue 
reliance  upon  the  missionary.  Experience  has 
shown  that  extraordinary  care  must  be  exer- 
cised in  the  distribution  among  them  of  for- 
eign money,  lest  they  be  pauperized  in  spirit 
and  led  to  a  dependence  upon  America  de- 
moralizing to  themselves  and  incompatible 
with  that  spirit  of  self-reliance  that  we  are 
earnestly  endeavoring  to  inculcate. 
^""choo's^Ind  Sometimes,  too,  the  scholar  supported  does 
Helpers   ^^^  ^^^^  ^^^  ^^jj      ^jj   childrcu   iu  mission 

schools  are  not  saints;  if  they  were,  missions 


Foreign  Missionary  Administration         53 

would  not  be  necessary.  Some  have  to  be  dis- 
missed for  bad  conduct.  Some  are  taken 
away  by  their  heathen  parents,  while  in  Africa 
it  is  not  uncommon  for  a  father  to  sell  his 
daughter  to  a  licentious  white  trader.  Even 
the  Christian  helper  may  prove  to  be  incom- 
petent or  mercenary  and  have  to  be  dismissed. 
The  heritage  of  centuries  of  heathen  license 
and  deceit  is  not  easily  overcome  in  a  few 
years.  The  missionaries  exercise  great  care 
in  selecting  helpers,  and  lapses  are  excep- 
tional; but  they  do  occur,  and  when  they  do, 
the  resultant  harm  is  greatly  augmented  if 
particular  givers  in  America  are  involved. 

Readjustments    in    appropriations    are    fre-  Equitable 

,     ■'  ,  f        1  1  Distribution 

quently  necessary  because  the  boards  are  un- 
able to  furnish  sufficient  funds  to  carry  on 
every  department  of  the  work  as  estimated 
by  the  missions.  It  is  seldom  practicable  for 
a  mission  to  adjust  a  cut  on  the  basis  of  spe- 
cial contributions  from  home.  It  cannot  de- 
velop envy  and  irritation  by  reducing  one 
native  helper's  salary  and  leaving  another  un- 
touched, maintain  one  department  of  work  at 
full  strength  and  almost  annihilate  another. 
The  distribution  of  funds  must  be  equitable, 
each  form  of  work  bearing  its  proper  share 
of  retrenchment,  and  the  guiding  principle 
must  be  the  interest  of  the  cause.  This  being 
the  case,  it  is  possible  that  the  exigencies  of 


54       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

the  work  may  at  any  time  require  an  increase 
or  decrease  or  even  the  total  discontinuance 
of  expenditure  for  any  specific  object. 

corres'SSndSce  ^^  would  be  impossible  for  a  board  to  make 
each  one  of  these  changes  the  subject  of  cor- 
respondence with  givers,  for  the  reason  that 
the  objects  thus  supported  are  thousands  in 
number,  that  they  are  scattered  all  over  the 
world,  that  the  distances  are  so  great  that 
long  periods  are  required  for  the  mere  inter- 
change of  letters,  and  that  the  givers  also  are 
numerous  and  widely  distributed. 

Why  Control  of       Coustitucnts   and   missionaries   should   un- 

Gifts  Is  Desirable  .      .         ,  .       .         , 

derstand  that  the  object  of  the  boards  ni  de- 
siring to  control  gifts  is  simply  in  the  interest 
of  the  work,  that  they  wish  to  have  the  Lord's 
money  used  to  the  best  advantage,  and  that  they 
have  no  disposition  to  alter  the  direction  of  a 
designated  gift,  but  only  to  safeguard  the  in- 
terests of  the  cause  and  to  provide  for  emer- 
gencies and  for  necessary  changes. 
Objects^ Outside  Thcsc  pcrplcxitics  of  special  object  giving 
are  increased  by  the  disposition  of  many  peo- 
ple to  give  to  objects  outside  of  the  authorized 
budget.  The  missionaries,  assembled  in  an- 
nual meeting,  carefully  consider  the  work 
that  should  be  done  and  forward  their  esti- 
mates to  the  board.  On  the  basis  of  these  es- 
timates, the  board  makes  "  the  regular 
grants,"    pledging    in    them    the    largest    sum 


Foreign  Missionary  Administration         55 

that  there  appears  to  be  a  reasonable  prob- 
abihty  will  be  received.  Plainly,  therefore, 
the  first  duty  of  givers,  if  they  would  truly 
serve  the  work,  is  toward  these  grants,  since 
they  include  the  objects  which  the  mission- 
aries themselves  have  decided  to  be  of  first 
importance.  Therefore,  to  demand  that 
money  shall  be  applied  to  some  other  purpose 
is  virtually  to  insist  upon  giving  to  the  less, 
rather  than  to  the  more  important  work. 

"  It  is  a  singular  fact,"  observes  Dr.  E.  E.  uTffvorabfe 
Strong,  "  that  so  many  donors  fancy  that  they 
can  get  information  as  to  the  best  use  to  be 
made  of  their  gifts  through  individual  ap- 
peals, rather  than  by  taking  the  united  judg- 
ment of  the  missionaries  on  the  ground  and 
the  executive  committees  at  home."  The  ef- 
fort to  evangelize  the  world  must  not  degen- 
erate into  a  sporadic  and  spasmodic  individ- 
ualism. A  board  cannot  spend  $50,000  this 
year  on  a  mission  which  has  happened  to  have 
several  good  speakers  at  home  on  furlough, 
and  $30,000  the  next  year  because  the  fur- 
loughed  missionaries  from  that  field  were  ill 
or  ineffective  on  the  platform.  The  scale  on 
which  money  should  be  expended  in  a  given 
field  cannot  be  wholly  determined  by  the 
amount  of  money  offered  for  it,  or  the  vary- 
ing degree  of  success  which  a  missionary  may 
have  in  presenting  it  to  home  audiences,  or 


56       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

the  newspaper  articles  that  may  happen  to  in- 
terest a  reader;  but  it  must  be  decided  by  the 
relative  needs  of  that  field,  the  funds  that  are 
available  for  the  whole  enterprise,  and  the 
policy  that  has  been  adopted  by  the  board. 
Otherwise,  demoralizing  elements  of  uncer- 
tainty and  inequality  are  introduced. 

The  station  Plan  ^^iQ  boards  havc  tried  various  expedients 
in  the  effort  to  harmonize  the  proper  wishes 
of  special  object  givers  wnth  the  interests  of 
the  work.  One  of  the  best  is  called  the 
"  share "  or  "  station  plan,"  which  assiigns 
the  giver  a  part  of  the  budget  which  must  be 
raised  for  the  station  in  which  the  donor 
wishes  his  gift  used.  Money  is  received,  not 
for  an  individual  scholar  or  native  \vorker  or 
school,  but  for  the  station.  This  plan  is  prov- 
ing satisfactory  alike  to  givers,  boards,  and 
missionaries.  It  allows  a  flexibe  use  of  mis- 
sion funds  in  accordance  v/ith  the  best  judg- 
ment of  the  missionaries  and  the  changing 
necessities  of  the  work,  provides  a  support 
for  all  departments  and  not  simply  for  a  few, 
makes  it  possible  to  furnish  adequate  infor- 
mation, gives  room  for  steady  advance  of  in- 
terest and  gifts,  instead  of  fixing  limits,  and 
insures  the  continuance  of  the  gift  to  the  per- 
manent work  uninfluenced  by  changes  in  per- 
sonnel. 

Openness  of  Mind       Vicwing    missiouary    administration    as    a 


**ifi 


VELLORE,  INDIA 


,i^H«J 


Foreign  Missionary  Administration         57 

whole,  there  is  undoubtedly  occasional  ground 
for  criticism.  Every  board  would  admit  tha^., 
in  deciding  a  myriad  of  perplexing  questions, 
many  of  them  delicate  and  difficult  and  on 
which  good  men  differ,  some  errors  of  judg- 
ment occur.  The  attitude  of  officers  and  mem- 
bers should  be  one  of  openness  of  mind  toward 
such  modifications  of  policy  or  method  as 
conditions  may  require.  The  fact  that  they  did 
a  thing  last  year  is  not  a  conclusive  reason 
why  they  should  do  it  next  year.  Emerson 
says  that  consistency  is  the  virtue  of  small 
minds.  We  should  do  what  we  believe  to  be 
right  before  God  to-day,  whether  or  not  it  is 
what  we  did  yesterday.  The  man  who  cannot 
change  his  mind,  when  conditions  have 
changed,  is  not  fit  to  be  an  administrator  of 
a  great  enterprise.  He  is  worse  than  a  weak 
man,  for  the  latter  is  amenable  to  advice, 
while  the  former  is  as  inaccessible  to  reason  as 
a  mule.  It  is  probable,  however,  that  if  any 
one  were  to  make  a  list  of  the  real  defects  in 
present  administrative  methods,  he  would  read- 
ily learn  on  inquiry  that  the  boards  already 
know  those  defects  and  that  they  are  earn- 
estly striving  to  remedy  them.  Dr.  William 
N.  Clarke  expresses  the  following  opinion: 

"  The     sharpest     criticism     usually     comes   ^u^uaf  *"** 
from   those  wdio   know   the  work  only   from  Desfrlbfe^ 


58       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

the  outside,  and  have  no  idea  either  of  its 
real  magnitude  or  of  the  immense  compHca- 
tions  that  it  involves.  Large  parts  of  the 
work  of  missionary  boards  imply  matters  that 
are  confidential  in  their  nature.  A  certain 
amount  of  reserve  is  absolutely  required  by 
justice  and  by  the  interests  of  the  work.  Mat- 
ters that  can  be  openly  discussed  are  often  fully 
intelligible  only  to  those  who  know  great 
classes  of  surrounding  facts.  When  a  society 
or  board  is  blamed  about  some  occurrence  on 
the  foreign  field,  there  is  almost  sure  to  be 
involved  some  personal  matter  in  which  prej- 
udice for  or  against  some  one  may  easily  mis- 
lead an  outside  judgment,  and  even  in  the  in- 
ner circle  a  just  and  wise  judgment  requires 
the  utmost  caution.  All  administrative  work 
is  of  course  justly  open  to  candid  and  reason- 
able criticism,  and  no  missionary  society  ex- 
pects or  asks  to  escape  it;  but  there  are  com- 
paratively few  persons  who  are  thoroughly 
qualified  to  criticize  the  administration  of  the 
great  missionary  organizations  except  'in  a 
very  general  way.  Even  for  those  who  have 
intimate  knowledge  enough  to  be  capable  of 
intelligent  criticism,  it  often  proves  far  easier 
to  see  faults  in  the  policy  of  the  great  societies 
than  to  propose  radical  improvements  upon 
their  general  method  of  administration.  It  is 
a  case  where  correction  even  of  acknowledged 


Foreign  Missionary  Administration         59 

faults,  though  it  be  ever  so  much  desired,  is 
often  beset  with  unsuspected  difficulty.  Hence, 
the  case  is  one  that  evidently  calls  for  mutual 
confidence  and  loyal  cooperation  among  those 
who  are  interested  together  in  missions.  .  .  . 
The  fact  ought  to  be  taken  more  closely  home 
to  the  popular  Christian  heart  that  a  mission- 
ary society  is  conducting  a  work  of  exception- 
al magnitude  and  difficulty,  under  conditions 
that  render  mis  judgment  of  its  doings  ex- 
tremely easy;  and  that  its  officers  deserve 
sympathetic  and  respectful  judgment  from  all 
their  brethren."^ 

All  the  boards  are  giving  increasing  at-  intelligent 
tention  to  the  principles  of  an  intelligent  and 
comprehensive  policy.  They  feel  that  the 
days  of  sentimentalism  in  foreign  mlissions 
have  passed.  They  are  not  conducting  a  cru- 
sade, but  a  settled  campaign,  and  they  are 
planning  it  with  such  skill  and  prudence  as 
they  possess.  They  study  the  broad  princi- 
ples of  missions,  read  the  lessons  of  a  hundred 
years  of  missionary  effort,  abandon  plans  that 
have  been  found  defective  and  adopt  new  ones 
which  promise  better  results.  Every  year, 
the  officers  and  representatives  of  about  fifty 
boards  of  the  United  States  and  Canada  meet 
for  conference  as  to -the  best  methods  for  car- 
rying    on     missionary     operations,     and     an 

M    Study    of   Christian   Missions,    128,    134,    135. 


6o       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

amount  of  care  and  thought  is  given  to  the 
whole  subject  that  would  surprise  the  average 
critic.  The  boards  are  earnestly  trying  to 
administer  this  great  trust  wisely,  economic- 
ally, and  effectively,  and  on  sound  business 
and  scientific  as  well  as  religious  principles. 

A  Work  of  Faith  J^    ^^-j|l    |-,g    ^^^^    fj-^^^^    ^||    ^J^^^    |^^g    ^^^^    g^j^ 

that  there  is  no  ground  for  the  assumption  of 
some  that  the  work  of  a  Church  board  is  not 
a  faith  work.  At  the  beginning  of  each  year, 
the  board  makes  and  guarantees  its  appropri- 
ations solely  on  the  faith  that  God  will  move 
the  Church  to  provide  the  necessary  money. 
Since  he  has  ordained  that  this  work  shall  be 
supported  by  the  gifts  of  his  people,  it  is  fair 
to  assume  that  he  will  bless  them  when  they 
move  unitedly  and  prayerfully  for  the  ac- 
complishment of  the  chief  work  that  he  has 
laid  upon  them,  and  that  he  is  quite  as  apt 
to  guide  the  men  whom  the  Church  "  looks 
out"  as  ''of  good  report,  full  of  the  Spirit 
and  of  wisdom"  and  appoints  "over  this 
business,"  as  he  is  to  guide  any  independent 
agency  or  individual,  however  sincere  or  en- 
thusiastic. 
Divine  Guidance       Thcsc  mcu  rcsfard  the  work  as   of   divine 

Through  Prayer  r  i  0^1 

authority  and  of  beneficent  character.  Ihey 
reverently  look  to  the  Holy  Spirit  as  the  ad- 
ministrator of  the  enterprise,  believing  that 
their  chief  reliance  must  be  upon  his  guid- 


Foreign  Missionary  Administration         6i 

ance.  They  realize  that  God  is  not  Hmited  to 
human  methods,  and  that  the  failure  of  a 
cherished  plan  may  not  argue  injury  to  the 
cause,  but  only  defects  in  the  plan.  They 
feel  that  their  only  safety  is  to  keep  close  to 
Christ  and  to  seek  to  know  his  will.  Prayer, 
therefore,  begins  and  pervades  all  delibera- 
tions, and  wings  every  appeal  for  funds. 
Heavy  as  are  the  anxieties  and  responsibili- 
ties, every  board  counts  it  an  honor  and  a 
privilege  to  represent  the  Church  of  God  in 
the  administration  of  this  noblest  of  all  Chris- 
tian activities. 


QUESTIONS  ON  CHAPTER  II 

Aim  :  To  Understand  the  Machinery  that  has  been 
Created  by  the  Church  for  Carrying  out  its  Aim 

1.  How  would  foreign  missionary  work  be  con- 
ducted if  we  had  no  denominational  mission- 
ary  boards? 

2.  Why  would  it  not  be  possible  at  present  to  . 
have  a  single  board,  representing  the  entire  / 
Christian   Church? 

3.  What  would  be  the  advantages  of  having  each 
congregation  conduct  its  work  on  the  foreign 
field  directly,  and  separately? 

4.  What  would  be  the  disadvantages  of  this  ar- 
rangement ? 

5.  How,  in  this  case,  would  a  missionary  secure 
appointment,  if  his  own  congregation  was  un- 
able to  send  him  out? 


62      Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

6.  How  would  the  work  on  the  field  compare  in 
equipment  with  that  which  is  now  conducted 
by  the  boards? 

7.  What  are  the  advantages  and  disadvantages 
of   independent   missionary   societies? 

8.  Other  things  being  equal,  would  you  prefer 
to  own  stock  in  a  small  and  recent,  or  a  large 
and  old  company,  doing  business  in  Asia? 

9.  What  application  has  your  answer  to  boards 
and  independent  societies? 

ID.  Sum  up  all  the  advantages  of  denominational 
boards  as  effective  missionary  agencies,  over 
separate  congregations  and  independent  so- 
cieties. 

11.  Sum  up  the  principal  features  of  the  work  of 
the  board  of  foreign  missions,  considered  as  a 
business  enterprise. 

12.  How  does  it  seem  to  you  to  compare  in  mag- 
nitude and  difficulty  with  that  of  the  other 
boards   of  the   Church? 

13.  What  sort  of  men  should  be  secured  as  secre- 
taries  of  boards   of   foreign  missions? 

14.  Name  some  of  the  principal  subjects  that  a 
board  secretary  ought  to  be  acquainted  with. 

15.  What  kind  of  salaries  should  they  receive? 

16.  What  are  the  arguments  for  increased  economy 
in  the  administration  of  foreign  missionary 
boards?  

17.  What  are  the  arguments  for  larger  expendi- 
ture? 

18.  How  is  a  board  to  advertise  its  work  effective- 
ly, and  yet  escape  the  criticism  of  extrava- 
gance ? 

19.  What  are  the  advantages  of  permitting  persons 


Foreign  Missionary  Administration         63 

at  home  to  support  individual  children  in  mis- 
sion schools  abroad? 

20.  State  five  principal  difficulties  involved  in  this 
plan. 

21.  If  you  were  a  missionary,  what  would  you 
think  of  a  home  Christian  who  insisted  on 
having  a  home  scholar  in  spite  of  these  diffi- 
culties? 

22.  What  are  the  arguments  for  and  against  giving 
money  for  objects  outside  the  budget? 

2^.  Under  what  circumstances  should  missionaries 
on  furlough  be  permitted  to  solicit  money  for 
their   own   work  ? 

24.  Does  the  station  plan  seem  to  you  to  be  a  sat- 
isfactory arrangement?  Give  reasons  for  your 
view. 

25.  What  konwlcdge  should  a  person  have,  in 
order  to  pass  intelligent  criticism  on  a  board 
of  foreign  missions? 

2(i.  What  improvement  can  you  suggest  in  the 
management  of  foreign  missionary  boards  ? 

27.  What  are  the  three  principal  difficulties  in 
the  order  of  their  importance,  that  boards  have 
to  meet? 

28.  What  ways  can  you  suggest  of  meeting  these 
difficulties? 

29.  What  is  the  part  of  the  individual  congrega- 
tion in  the  matter? 

30.  What  is  the  part  of  the  individual  Christian? 


64      Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

References  for  Advanced  Study.— Chapter  II  i 

I.    Foreign  Missionary  Administration. 

Baldwin:    Foreign    Missions    of    the    Protestant 
Churches,  IV. 

Barnes:  In  Salisbury  Square,  IV,  V,  VI. 

Bliss:  A  Concise  History  of  Missions,  Part  III, 
Chap.  II. 

Clarke:  A  Study  of  Christian  Missions,  VI. 

Stock:      A  Short  Handbook  of  Missions,  Part  I, 
Chap.  VIII. 

iThe  leader  should  make  an  effort  to  obtain  information  re- 
garding the  administration  of  the  mission  board  or  society  of 
his  denomination  through  the  secretary  of  the  board,  whose 
name  appears  near  the  end  of  "Suggestions  to  Leaders  for  the 
Class  Session"  on  The  Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions. 


QUALIFICATIONS  AND 
APPOINTMENT. 


The  first  point  that  I  shall  emphasize  refers  to 
your  physical  nature.  You  will  want  to  take  with 
you  to  your  field  of  labor  a  sound,  healthy,  vigorous, 
and  normally  developed  body. 

— George    Schollf 

Let  the  most  thoroughly  disciplined  faculties  and 
the  noblest  powers  of  the  Christian  world  be  con- 
secrated to  work  of  such  a  character.  We  do  not  plead 
for  missionaries  to  go  forth  to  teach  science,  but  for 
missionaries  who  possess  a  scientific  mind;  not  for 
men  to  proclaim  or  teach  the  philosophies  of  the  world, 
but  for  men  who  have  as  a  part  of  their  equipment  a 
philosophic  mind. 

— S.  H.  Wainright 

In  the  first  place,  only  a  man  whose  mind  is  per- 
vaded by  the  immediate  personal  presence  of  the  Holy 
Spirit^  can  reveal  Christ  to  those  seeking  him.  The 
first  great  work  which  we  have  in  any  mission  field 
is  that  of  making  Christ  known  to  the  people. 

— James  M.   Thoburn. 

In  the  mission  field  abroad,  as  in  fact  at  home,  too, 
character  counts  for  more  than  learning,  for  more 
than  skill.  Character,  humanly  speaking,  is  almost 
everything. 

— Eugene   Stock 


66 


Ill 

QUALIFICATIONS  AND 
APPOINTMENT 

IT  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  any  nice,  ofca^^'dfd'ates'"" 
pious  youth  can  become  a  foreign  mis- 
sionary. The  critic  who  imagines  that 
weaklings  or  milksops  can  be  appointed, 
might  apply  for  appointment  himself  and  see. 
Large  churches,  after  spending  a  year  or 
more  in  considering  scores  of  highly  recom- 
mended ministers,  sometimes  give  a  unani- 
mous call  to  an  unworthy  man.  So  a  board 
occasionally  errs.  But  as  a  rule,  the  rigorous 
methods  now  employed  quickly  reject  in- 
competent candidates,  while  the  increasing  mis- 
sionary interest  in  colleges  and  seminaries 
gives  the  choicest  material  to  select  from. 
The  boards  do  not  appoint  the  pale  enthusiast 
or  the  romantic  young  lady  to  the  foreign 
field,  but  the  sturdy,  practical,  energetic  man 
of  affairs,  the  woman  of  poise  and  sense  and 
character.  It  is  not  the  policy  to  send  a  mul- 
titude of  common  men,  but  a  comparatively  ^^ 
small  number  of  picked  men,  the  highest  types 
of  our  Anglo-Saxon  Christian  character  and 
culture.    Imitating  the  example  of  the  Church 

67 


68       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

at  Antioch  in  setting  apart  as  foreign  mis- 
sionaries Paul  and  Barnabas,  the  modern 
Church  selects  the  best  that  apply  for  this  ser- 
vice. The  result  is  that  foreign  missionaries 
are  fast  becoming  a  picked  class,  far  above 
the  average  in  intelligence,  character,  and  de- 
votion. 

Tests  Imposed  ^Yc  would  uot  givc  the  imprcssion  that  the 
boards  insist  upon  an  impracticable  standard, 
nor  should  modesty  deter  any  young  man  or 
\  woman  from  applying.    The  tests  imposed  are 

not  merely  scholastic.  Sometimes  the  honor 
members  of  a  graduating  class  have  been  re- 
jected and  men  of  lesser  academic  distinction 
appointed,  because  investigation  has  shown 
that  the  latter  gave  better  promise  of  real 
usefulness.  High  grades  sometimes  coexist 
with  serious  defects  of  character.  Many  of 
the  prize  men  of  our  colleges  are  never  heard 
of  in  after  life,  while  others,  who,  like  General 
Grant,  made  no  special  mark  as  students, 
have  developed  splendid  qualities. 

Qualifications       j^  ^^^  ^^  ^^^jj  ^^  indicate  the  qualifications 

that  are  required,  not  only  for  the  guidance 
of  young  people  who  are  contemplating  appli- 
cation, but  for  the  information  of  laymen  who 
may  not  be  familiar  with  the  subject,  and  who 
often  hear  misleading  statements  regard- 
ing it.  •  '^ 
Foreign  missionaries   often   live  and   work 


Health 


Qualifications  and  Appointment  69 

in  such  trying  climates,  amid  such  insanitary 
surroundings,  exposed  to  such  malignant  dis- 
eases, and  under  such  nervous  strain,  that  only 
men  and  women  of  sound  constitution  and 
vigorous  health  should  be  appointed.  It  is 
important  therefore  to  ascertain  whether  one 
is  free  from  physical  defects  or  tendencies 
that  might  shorten  life.  This  question  is  one 
to  be  determined,  not  by  the  applicant,  but  by 
a  physician,  and  the  board  insists  on  a  rigid 
examination,  usually  by  a  physician  of  its  own 
selection. 

After  thirty,  one's  ability  to  acquire  a  free,  ^ge  Limits 
colloquial  use  of  a  foreign  tongue  rapidly  di- 
minishes.    Moreover,    one's    ability   to    adapt 
himself   to   a   different   environment   becomes 
less  easy  as  the  years  pass.     It  is  better  that 
the  transfer  to  new  conditions  and  the  study 
of   a   difficult   language   should   begin   before 
either  the  physical  or  intellectual  life  becomes 
so  fixed  that  it  is  hard  to  acquire  new  things. 
The  probable  duration  of  effective  service  also 
shortens  rapidly  as  one  moves  toward  middle 
life.      For  these  reasons,   the  boards   do  not\ 
like  to  accept  any  one  over  thirty-three,  un-    ( 
less     other     qualifications     are     exceptionally    1 
high,  in  which  case  the  age  of  acceptance  is 
occasionally  extended  to  thirty-five. 

Graduation   from  both  college  and  profes- 
sional  school   is   ordinarily  required   in   men, 


Education 


yo       Wliy  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

and  at  least  a  high  school  training  in  women. 
The  boards  insist,  too,  that  the  student's 
record  shall  be  such  as  to  show  that  he  pos- 
sesses more  than  average  intellectual  ability. 
A  considerable  part  of  the  work  of  the  mis- 
sionary is  intellectual.  His  daily  problems  re- 
quire a  trained  mind.  Moreover,  in  many 
fields  he  comes  into  contact  with  natives 
whose  mental  acumen  is  by  no  means  con- 
temptible. While,  therefore,  a  board  will  not 
reject  a  candidate  because  he  does  not  stand 
near  the  head  of  his  class,  it  will  reject  him 
if  his  grades  indicate  mediocrity.  The  con- 
siderations that  occasionally  lead  the  Church 
at  home  to  ordain  a  man  who  has  not  had  a 
full  course  may  lead  a  board  to  send  one  to 
the  foreign  field,  but  such  cases  are  excep- 
tions. 
Those  Without       Graduates  of  technical  schools  are  needed 

Theological 

Training  evcry  year  by  some  of  the  boards.  Physi.: 
cians  are  nearly  always  in  demand.  Colleges 
and  boarding-schools  frequently  call  for  re- 
cruits who  are  specially  qualified  for  teaching. 
Sometimes  mechanical  and  electrical  en- 
gineers are  needed  for  special  chairs.  Several 
boards  have  sought  graduates  of  industrial 
and  agricultural  colleges  for  'industrial 
schools.  Hospitals  often  ask  for  trained 
nurses  to  act  as  matrons  and  head  nurses. 
Mission  presses  call  for  superintendents  who 


Qualifications  and  Appointment  71 

understand  printing,  while  some  of  the  larger 
missions  can  use  to  excellent  advantage  lay- 
men of  commercial  experience  as  treasurers, 
builders,  and  business  agents.  Of  course  the 
number  that  can  be  used  in  some  of  these 
ways  is  not  great.  Tli^__aJl3_i;pun^XSIldid^^'i 
who  can  do  anything  that  is  assigned  him  is 
in  chief  demand. 

The  boards  make  careful  inquiry  as  .to  exe-  Executive  Ability 
cutive  ability  and  force  of  character.  Many 
a  man  can  do  good  service  in  the  homeland 
who  could  not  succeed  on  the  foreign  field. 
The  duties  of  a  missionary  are  not  like  those 
of  a  pastor  at  home,  who  usually  succeeds  to 
an  established  work,  who  finds  methods  al- 
ready so  largely  determined  that  his  duty  is 
rather  one  of  modification  than  of  origina- 
tion, and  who  has  wise  counselors  in  his 
church  oi^cers.  The  missionary's  functions 
are  rather  those  of  a__^i2erintendent.  He 
must  be  a  leader  and  organizer.  Mere  piety 
will  not  make  a  missionary,  any  more  than 
mere  patriotism  will  make  an  ambassador. 
Ihe  boards  lay  stress  on  energy,  initiative, 
and  self-reliance.  They  inquire  whether  the 
candidate  has  qualities  of  leadership  and 
whether,  in  general,  he  is  a  strong  man. 

Common    sense    is    a    much    rarer    quality  common  sense 
than  might  be  supposed,  and  not  a  few  can- 
didates go  down  under  the  searching  inquiries 


J 2       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

that  the  boards  make  regarding  it.  Some 
brilhant  men  lack  the  balance  of  judgment, 
the  homely  good  sense,  that  are  indispensable 
in  a  •useful  missionary.  The  foreign  mission- 
ary must  deal  with  a  variety  of  problems  and 
conditions  that  call  for  the  practical  man  as 
distinguished  from  the  visionary.  The  direc- 
tion of  native  helpers,  the  expenditure  of  con- 
siderable sums  of  money,  the  superintendence 
of  building  operations,  the  settlement  of  the 
questions  that  are  constantly  arising  among 
native  Christians,  the  adjustment  to  all  sorts 
of  persons  and  conditions — these  and  other 
matters  that  might  be  mentioned  cannot  be 
prudently  committed  to  unbalanced  men,  how- 
ever pious  or  healthy  or  intellectual.  Gov- 
ernor Brown,  of  Georgia,  used  to  say  that  "  if 
the  Lord  has  left  judgment  out  of  a  man,  there 
is  no  way  of  getting  it  in."  The  mission  field 
is  not  the  place  for  the  dreamer,  the  crank, 
the  mere  enthusiast.  The  quality  of  good 
sense  is  so  often  developed  in  the  school  of 
privation  that  some  of  the  best  missionaries 
have  been  men  who  were  forced  by  poverty 
to  work  their  own  way  through  college,  for 
the  necessity  that  was  thus  laid  upon  them 
developed  those  qualities  of  alertness,  self- 
reliance,  and  good  sense  that  are  of  high 
value  in  missionary  life. 

^Pe?sutence       The   missiouary   movement   is   not   a   spas- 
Necessary 


Qualifications  and   Appointnieiit  73 

modic  crusade.  It  is  not  an  easy  life.  The 
romantic  halo  about  it  is  chiefly  in  books.  It 
should  not  be  entered  upon,  therefore,  by 
those  who  are  prone  to  rapid  alternations  of 
feeling,  or  who  are  easily  discouraged,  or  who 
are  incapable  of  persevering  toil.  The  stu- 
dent who  has  volimteered  under  the  impulse 
of  emotional  excitement  should  give  his  new 
purpose  a  reasonable  testing  period  before 
making  application  for  appointment.  The 
man  who  is  always  conceiving  great  projects 
and  never  carrying  them  out  is  another  type 
that  is  not  desired.  Most  of  the  boards  have 
had  experience  with  such  missionaries  and 
they  do  not  want  any  more.  The  man  of 
patient  persistence  in  well-doing,  who  does 
not  easily  lose  heart,  who  courageously  and 
inflexibly  sticks  to  his  work,  however  dis- 
couraging it  may  be,  the  man  who,  like  Gen- 
eral Grant,  "  proposes  to  fight  it  out  on  this 
line  if  it  takes  all  summer,"  is  the  type  that 
is  wanted  for  missionary  service.  Mission- 
ary employment  is  expected  to  be  for  life,  and 
no  one  should  apply  who  is  not  willing  to 
consecrate  himself  irrevocably  to  it,  who  can- 
not make  light  of  hardships  and  "  endure 
hardness  as  a  good  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ." 
A  veteran  missionary,  in  asking  for  an  asso- 
ciate, wrote :  *'  Send  us  a  despiser  of  difficul- 
ties, who  will  not  be  discouraged  under  the 


74       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

most  adverse  circumstances,  who  will  unite 
unflinching  courage  with  consummate  tact, 
know  how  to  do  impossible  things  and  main- 
tain a  pertinacity  that  borders  on  stubborn- 
ness with  a  suavity  of  manners  that  softens 
asperity."  That  is  expecting  a  good  deal  of 
human  nature,  but  it  indicates  the  ideal  that 
we  have  in  mind. 
Tenfplrameit  Ability  to  work  harmoniousl^^  with  others 
is  a  prime  qualification.  The  mission  circle  is 
the  very  worst  place  in  the  world  for  a  quar- 
relsome man  or  woman.  One  such  mission- 
ary will  wreck  the  happiness  and  perhaps  the 
efficiency  of  a  whole  station.  No  degree  of 
ability  or  force  of  character  can  make  a  mis- 
sionary of  that  type  tolerable.  Indeed,  the 
stronger  he  is  the  more  trouble  he  makes. 
Then  there  is  the  man,  or  the  woman,  who 
takes  personal  offense  when  his  or  her  plans 
are  opposed.  Most  troublesome  of  all  is  the 
type  of  Christian  who  is  so  certain  that  Godl  y 
has,  in  answer  to  prayer,  shown  him  what; 
ought  to  be  done,  that  he  is  wholly  inaccessi-j 
ble  to  the  arguments  of  others.  It  does  not 
occur  to  him  that  his  associates  also  pray  and 
that  God  may  guide  them  as  well  as  him.  A 
vast  amount  of  unregenerate  pugnacity  and 
narrow-mindedness  in  this  world  passes  for 
''  fidelity  to  the  truth  as  I  see  it." 

A  cheerful  spirit  is  as  essential  as  ability  to 


Cheerfulness 


Qualifications  and  Appointment  75 

work  with  others.  Some  otherwise  very  ex- 
cellent people  are  by  temperament  despondent. 
They  magnify  difficulties  and  imagine  them 
where  they  do  not  exist  at  all.  Present  to 
them  any  proposal,  and  they  will  see  all  the 
objections  to  it  first.  They  never  weary  of 
bemoaning  the  shortcomings  of  their  fellow 
Christians.  They  walk  about  Zion  and  mark 
the  defects  thereof  and  tell  them  to  the  public. 
They  remind  one  of  the  old  Scotch  elder,  who 
lugubriously  said  of  his  church  of  three  hun- 
dred members :  ''There  be  nae  real  Christians 
here — except  masel'  an'  Sandy,  an'  some- 
times I  hae  ma  doots  aboot  Sandy."  ''Good 
Lord,  deliver  us!"  is  the  prayer  of  the  mis- 
sionaries already  on  the  field  regarding  all 
these  types. 

The  candidate  who  holds  opinions  of  doc-  |^^r"^P"\°"s 

^  Doctrinal  Views 

trine  or  polity  that  are  not  in  accord  with 
those  of  the  Church  with  which  he  would  be 
associated  as  a  missionary  falls  under  the 
general  head  of  incompatibility.  Variance  of 
this  kind  may  be,  and  ordinarily  is,  held  from 
dioroughly  praiseworthy  motives,  and  it  is 
not  the  province  of  a  board  to  attempt  to  con- 
vince the  candidate  that  he  is  wrong  or  to 
bring  any  pressure  whatever  to  bear  upon 
him  to  change  his  views.  It  simply  notes  the 
fact  that  the  candidate  probably  could  not 
harmonize  with  missionaries  who  hold  a  dif- 


76       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

ferent  position.  This  objection  would  not,  of 
course,  apply  to  those  variations  of  belief  that 
are  within  the  recognized  limits  of  evangelical 
faith  as  held  by  the  Church  to  which  the  can- 
didate belongs.  In  no  denomination  is  the 
ministry  entirely  homogeneous  as  to  questions 
of  doctrine,  nor  do  the  boards  insist  that  the 
missionary  body  shall  be.  There  are  the  same 
differences  of  this  kind  among  missionaries 
that  are  to  be  found  at  home.  VVe  are  refer- 
ring now  to  those  questions  that  would  dif- 
ferentiate a  candidate  from  the  whole  body  of 
his  associates  and  introduce  embarrassing 
complications  among  them.  Hobbies  or  ec- 
centricities of  any  kind  are  considered  more 
or  less  objectionable  as  tending  to  divide  those 
who  ought  not  to  be  divided  and  to  affect  in- 
juriously the  influence  of  the  missionary  body 
upon  the  natives,  who  are  always  quick  to  ob- 
serve and  to  comment  upon  such  differences. 
Marriage  Jt  is  a  uiistakc  to  supposc  that  the  boards 
insist  upon  marriage.  Indeed,  some  boards  re- 
quire their  men  to  go  out  single,  but  permit 
them  to  marry  after  learning  the  language 
and  proving  their  fitness  for  missionary  life. 
Other  boards  advise  this  course,  but  leave  it 
to  the  judgment  of  the  candidate.  The  ob- 
jections to  deferring  marriage  do  not,  as  a 
rule,  relate  to  the  work,  but  come  from  fam- 
ilies on  the  field,  who  do  not  feel  prepared  to 


Qualifications  and  Appointment  "jy 

board  young  men.  Traders  and  Roman 
Catholic  priests  usually  keep  *'  bachelors' 
hall,"  and  where  a  couple  of  young  mission- 
aries are  together,  there  is  no  valid  reason 
why  they  cannot  do  so  for  a  year  or  two  if 
necessary.  No  Protestant  board  advocates 
the  celibacy  of  missionaries.  All  appoint 
married  men ;  but  almost  all  have  certain 
forms  of  work  that  can  better  be  done,  for  a 
time  at  least,  by  single  men.  A  candidate, 
therefore,  who  has  not  already  arranged  for 
marriage,  need  not  feel  that  he  is  under  any 
pressure  to  do  so.  If,  after  a  few  years  on 
the  field,  he  wishes  to  marry,  the  board  will 
have  pleasure  in  sending  his  fiance  to  him, 
provided,  of  course,  she  is  found  to  possess 
the  necessary  qualifications  for  missionary 
life.  So  many  missionaries  and  friends  are 
constantly  coming  and  going,  that  there  is 
seldom  any  difficulty  in  finding  suitable  com- 
panionship for  the  young  ladies. 

The  fiance  must  make  a  separate  applica-  Jl'a^c"^^*^'''^ 
tion,  and  it  will  be  as  carefully  investigated  as 
that  of  the  man  whom  she  is  to  marry.  No 
woman  should  go  to  the  foreign  field  simply 
because  she  is  the  wife  of  a  missionary.  Life 
in  a  heathen  land  is  so  trying,  from  the  view- 
point of  home  standards,  that  the  wife  who 
is  not  in  deep  spiritual  sympathy  with  her 
husband's  missionary  vv^ork  and  purpose  will 


78       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

almost  certainly  become  lonely,  discontented, 
and  depressed.  She  may  successfully  fight 
against  this  for  a  time,  but  in  the  end  she 
will  not  only  become  unhappy  herself,  but  she 
will  probably  make  her  husband  unhappy, 
while  it  is  not  improbable  that  her  health  will 
give  way  and  that  he  will  be  compelled  to 
give  up  his  life's  plans  and  return  home  with 
an  invalid  wife.  Most  of  the  boards  have  had 
such  costty  experiences  of  this  kind  that  they 
are  disposed  to  make  careful  inquiry  regard- 
ing the  qualifications  of  those  who  expect  to 
become  the  wives  of  missionaries. 

The  wives  of  missionaries  are  regarded  as 
associate  missionaries,  uniting  with  their  hus- 
bands in  desire  and  effort  to  give  the  gospel 
to  the  unevangelized.  It  is  expected  that,  so 
far  as  is  consistent  with  their  strength  and 
household  duties,  they  will  learn  the  language 
and  take  part  in  missionary  work. 
Children  g^  many  candidates  have  to  be  declined  on 
account  of  their  families  that  it  is  proper  to 
add  that,  while  the  boards  cordially  recognize 
their  privilege  and  duty  in  relation  to  child- 
ren that  are  born  on  the  field,  the  boards  hes- 
itate where  there  are  children  prior  to  appli- 
cation for  appointment.  It  costs  much  more 
to  transport  such  families  to  the  field  and 
more  to  house  them  after  their  arrival.  A 
mother  finds  it  difficult  to  get  the  time  and 


Wives  of 

Missionaries 


Qualifications  and  Appointment  79 

strength  for  language  study,  and  there  is  al- 
ways a  possibility  that  such  missionaries  will 
have  to  resign  because  they  find  the  foreign 
field  unfavorable  to  the  health  of  their  child- 
ren. Ordinarily,  therefore,  most  boards  do 
not  like  to  appoint  candidates  who  already 
have  children,  though  they  do  this  in  excep- 
tional cases. 

It  need  hardly  be  said  that  if  any  one  of  christian 

1  i-.'-ii  1  •  1-        Character 

the  qualmcations  that  have  been  mentioned  is  and  spiritual 
more  indispensable  than  the  others,  it  is  spir- 
itual life.  No  matter  how  healthy  or  able  or 
well  educated,  the  successful  candidate  must 
have  a  sound,  well-developed  Christian  charac-  {^ 
ter.  The  boards  do  not  commission  mere 
physicians  or  school-teachers,  but  missionaries. 
The  medical  graduate  who  simply  wishes  to 
practise  his  profession  in  a  great  mission  hospi- 
tal in  Asia,  the  professor  whose  ambition  is 
only  to  build  up  a  flourishing  school,  the  youth 
who  wants  to  see  strange  lands  and  peoples 
or  who  is  animated  by  the  spirit  of  adventure, 
are  not  wanted.  Missionary  work  in  all  its 
forms  is  distinctly  spiritual  in  spirit  and  aim. 
David  Livingstone,  when  asked  what  Avere 
the  chief  requirements  of  a  successful  mis- 
sionary, gave  as  the  first :  *'  A  goodly  por-\ 
tion  of  God's  own  loving  yearnings  over  the 
souls  of  the  heathen."  The  boards,  therefore, 
place  great  stress  on  the  candidate's  spiritual 


8o       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

experience  and  his  motives  for  seeking  mis- 
sionary service.  The  missionary  should  be 
above  everything  else  a  spiritual  guide.  In- 
quiries on  this  point  are  carefully  made,  and 
if  there  is  reason  to  doubt  the  spiritual  influ- 
ence of  a  candidate,  he  is  certain  to  be  de- 
clined. 

other  De^s^rawe  Qthcr  cousidcratious  may  emerge  in  par- 
ticular cases.  Some  experience  in  teaching  or 
Christian  work,  and  a  knowledge  of  music  in 
women  candidates  and  of  bookkeeping  in 
men,  while  not  usually  required,  add  to  the 
attractiveness  of  an  application.  The  quali- 
fications that  have  been  mentioned,  however, 
are  those  that  are  generally  sought  for  by  the 
boards.  Taken  together  in  this  way  they  may 
appear  to  constitute  a  formidable  list;  but  this 
enumeration  should  not  ease  the  conscience 
of  any  young  man  or  woman  who  is  consid- 
ering the  question  of  going  to  the  foreign 
field. 

^"to°Apph^c'^nts  -^^^  health,  imperfect  education,  dependent 
relatives,  inability  to  work  harmoniously  with 
others,  and  age  that  forbids  hope  of  acquir- 
ing a  difficult  language  are  valid  reasons  for 
not  applying;  but  unless  some  such  positive 
disqualification  is  known  to  exist,  the  proper 
course  is  to  correspond  with  the  secretary  of 
the  board  and  he  will  gladly  give  all  needed 
counsel.     A  general  sense  of  unfitness  for  so 


Qualifications  and  Appointment  8i 

noble  a  calling  is  not  an  adequate  reason  for 
failure  to  apply.  Such  modesty  is  apt  to  be  .^.^.-^'^ 
the  refuge  of  those  who  are  quite  willing  to 
have  an  excuse  to  stay  at  home.  One  should 
not  be  deterred  because  of  reports  that  men 
are  being  rejected  for  want  of  funds  or  for 
any  other  reason.  The  financial  situation 
may  have  changed,  or  an  unexpected  vacancy 
may  have  occurred.  The  fact  that  an  appar- 
ently good  man  of  one's  acquaintance  has 
been  declined  is  not  necessarily  a  reason  for 
discouragement,  for  the  board  may  have  dis- 
covered some  defect  that  his  friends  did  not 
suspect,  or  the  trouble  may  have  been  with 
his  fiance.  No  matter  what  one  hears,  if  he 
feels  that  he  ought  to  go  to  the  foreign  field, 
he  should  send  in  his  application  and  place 
upon  the  board  the  responsibility  of  dealing 
with  it. 

There  is  no  disgrace  in  being  rejected,  for  lej'i'cuo^'^'^  °^ 
it  will  readily  be  seen  that  a  number  of  the 
reasons  mentioned  above  may  be  providential 
in  character,  and,  while  hindering  one's  going 
to  the  foreign  field,  might  not  hinder  a  suc- 
cessful life  for  Christ  in  the  homeland. 
Moreover,  the  boards  consider  all  applications 
as  confidential,  so  that  the  fact  of  rejection 
need  not  be  known  beyond  the  limited  circle 
of  the  friends  whose  private  opinions  it  is 
necessarv  for  the  board  to  seek. 


82       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 


Procedure  in 


Making  The  procedure  in  making  application  is 
Application  gimple — write  to  the  secretary  of  the  board 
and  he  will  send  a  set  of  application  blanks 
and  all  needful  information.  The  secretary, 
on  receiving  the  formal  application,  corres- 
ponds with  those  who  know  the  candidate. 
Some  boards  have  a  printed  list  of  questions 
for  this  purpose,  as  they  have  learned  from 
experience  that,  while  most  people  will  tell  the 
truth,  they  will  not  tell  all  the  truth  unless  defi- 
nite questions  are  asked  and  a  specific  answer 
insisted  upon.  The  time  required  for  this  in- 
vestigation is  ordinarily  about  two  or  three 
months,  though  in  special  cases  it  may  be 
shorter  or  longer. 
Conference  at       As  3.  furthcr  prccautiou,  3.  fcw  of  the  boards 

Headquarters  ^  '         _        ^ 

have  adopted  the  plan  of  bringing  newly  ap- 
pointed missionaries  to  their  headquarters  for 
a  conference  of  a  week  or  ten  days.  These 
Conferences  have  proved  to  be  of  great  inter- 
est and  value,  enabling  the  secretaries  to  pass 
the  appointees  in  careful  review  before  going 
to  the  field,  establishing  at  the  outset  rela- 
tions of  personal  friendship,  acquainting  the 
new  missionary  with  some  of  the  lessons  of 
missionary  experience  and  the  main  features 
of  missionary  policy,  and  clarifying  his  opin- 
ions on  a  number  of  important  matters. 
Missionary  Call  Hoy^y  may  oue  knowvvdietherheis  Called 
of  God  to  be  a  missionary?    The  divine  sum- 


Qualifications  and  Appointment  83 

mons  is  made  known  in  a  variety  of  ways. 
Some  men  are  conscious  of  a  call  almost  as 
distinct  and  commanding  as  that  of  the 
Apostle  Paul.  But  probably  few  have  such 
an  experience,  and  the  lack  of  it  should  not 
be  regarded  as  an  indication  that  one  has  no 
call  to  missionary  service.  God's  will  is  of- 
ten made  known  in  quieter  ways.  Many  theo- 
logical students  make  the  mistake  of  assum- 
ing that  the  absence  of  an  external  perempt- 
ory call  means  that  they  should  stay  at  home. 
The  result  is  that  scores  look  for  home  pas- 
torates because  they  "  have  no  call  to  go 
abroad."  The  assumption  should  be  just  the 
reverse.  If  God  calls  a  man  to  preach  the 
gospel  at  all,  surely  the  presumption  is  in 
favor  of  the  field  where  the  work  is  the  great- 
est and  the  workers  are  fewest.  With  an  av- 
erage of  one  minister  J[or^j[ery_5i4^eople  at 
home  and  candidates  thronging  every  vacant 
pulpit,  while  abroad  there  is  an  average  of 
l)ut  one  for  every  174,000  of  the  population; 
with  all  the  doors  of  opportunity  wide  open 
and  the  mission  boards  vainly  appealing  for 
more  men — it  is  preposterous  for  the  average 
student  to  assume  that  he  should  stay  in 
America  unless  a  voice  from  heaven  summons 
him  to  go  to  the  needy  millions  of  Asia  or 
Africa.  In  the  language  of  Keith-Falconer: 
''  While  vast  continents  are   shrouded   in  al- 


84       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

most  utter  darkness,  and  hundreds  of  millions 
suffer  the  horrors  of  heathenism  or  of  Islam, 
the  burden  of  proof  lies  upon  you  to  show  that 
the  circumstances  in  which  God  has  placed 
you  were  meant  by  him  to  keep  you  out  of 
the  foreign  mission  field." 
Question  of  Need  The  plca  that  thcrc  are  needs  at  home  is 
mere  quibbling,  in  view  not  only  of  the  facts 
already  stated,  but  of  the  further  fact  that 
about  ninety-eight  out  of  every  hundred 
students  are  staying  at  home.  It  is  probably 
fair  to  say  of  any  given  student  that  there  is 
no  need  of  him  in  the  home  field  that  is  at  all 
commensurate  with  the  need  of  him  on  the 
foreign  field.  His  proper  attitude  therefore 
should  not  be,  ''  Why  should  I  go  as  a  foreign 
missionary,"  but  ''Why  should  I  not  go?" 
^^  The  late  James  Gilmour,  the  famous  itinerant 
missionary  to  the  Mongol  tribes,  wrote  of 
this  period  in  his  student  life:  ''Even  on  the 
low  ground  of  common  sense  I  seemed  to  be 
called  to  be  a  missionary.  Is  the  kingdom  a 
harvest  field?  Then  I  thought  it  reasonable 
that  I  should  seek  the  work  where  the  work 
was  most  abundant  and  the  workers  fewest." 
"  This  was  the  plain  common-sense  process 
by  which  that  apostle  to  Mongolia  reached  a 
decision  as  to  duty." 


Qualifications  and  Appointment  85 

QUESTIONS  ON  CHAPTER  III 

Aim  :   To   Understand   What   Sort  of   Persons   are 
Needed  for  Foreign  Missionary  Work  and  How 
They  are  Appointed 

1.  Make  out  a  list  of  questions  which  you  think 
a  board  should  submit  to  missionary  candidates 
on   the   subject   of   physical    qualifications. 

2.  What  answers  to  these  questions  would  you 
accept  as  satisfactory? 

3.  Make  out  a  list  of  questions  on  the  subject  of 
educational  and  mental  qualifications,  and  indi- 
cate satisfactory  answers. 

4.  Make  out  a  list  on  the  subject  of  personal 
character  and  abiUty,  and  indicate  satisfactory 
answers. 

5.  Make  out  a  list  on  the  subject  of  spiritual 
qualifications,    with    satisfactory    answers. 

6.  To   what   person   beside   the   candidate   would    ^ 
you    apply    for    information    on    these    topics? 

7.  What  questions  would  you  put  to  these  others 
that  you  would  not  put  to  the  candidate? 

8.  Under  which  head  would  you  consider  it 
most  important  to  have  strongly  favorable 
testimony? 

9.  Under  which  head  would  you  be  most  prepared 
to  accept  testimony  not  altogether  favorable? 

10.  Would  you  accept  a  candidate  who  had  never    u^^ 
led  any  one  to  Christ? 

11.  What  sort  of  courses  would  you  advise  a 
college  freshman  to  take  in  preparation  for 
the  foreign  field? 

12.  What  special  work  would  you  recommend  for 
a  theological  student? 

13.  What  special  work,  for  a  medical  student? 


86       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

14.  What  sort  of  training  would  you  advise  for 
a  young  woman  volunteer  16  years  of  age 
during  the  time  that  must  intervene  before  she 
went  to  the  field? 

15.  Whose  fault  is  it  that  the  average  ability  of 
missionaries  is  not  higher? 

16.  What  besides  personal  qualifications  might  lead 
an  application  to  be  accepted  at  one  time  and 
rejected  at  another? 

17.  What  advantage  is  it  for  a  board  to  have  more 
candidates  than  it  can  send  out? 

18.  What  percentage  of  persons  in  the  United 
States  do  you  think  have  the  necessary  phy- 
sical qualifications  for  foreign  missionary  ser- 
vice? 

19.  What  percentage  have  the  necessary  mental 
and  educational  qualifications? 

20.  What  percentage  have  the  necessary  qualifica- 
tions as   to  character  and  ability? 

21.  What  percentage  have  the  necessary  spiritual 
qualifications  ? 

22.  What  percentage  possess  all  these  qualifica- 
tions in  the  required  degree? 

23.  What  measure  of  responsibility  do  you  think 
rests  upon  this  last-named  class? 

24.  Name  what  you  consider  to  be  valid  reasons 
for  those  well  qualified  for  the  foreign  field 
to  remain  at  home. 

25.  What  constitutes   a  call  to   the   foreign  field? 

26.  Should  those  qualified  assume  that  they  ought 
to  stay  at  home  unless  they  have  a  special  call 
to  go  abroad  or  that  they  ought  to  go  unless 
they  have  a  special  call  to  stay? 

27.  What  proportion  of  those  who  ought  to  go 
abroad  do  you  think  actually  do  go? 


Qualifications  and  Appointment  87 

28.  What  measures  can  you  suggest  for  securing  the 
volunteers  that  are  needed  and  that  ought  to 
respond  ? 

29.  What  would  you  tell  a  person  who  suspected 
he  was  called  to  the  foreign  field  but  who  was 
not  yet  willing  to  make  a  decision? 

30.  What  would  you  tell  a  person  who  was  wil- 
ling to  go  but  who  seemed  hardly  to  possess 

the  proper  qualifications?  ^ 

31.  What  responsibilities  rest  on  those  not  qualified  ^ 
to  go  abroad  or  hindered   for  valid  reasons? 

32.  How  much  compared  with  those  who  go  to 
the  field  ought  they  to  be  willing  to  sacrifice 
for  the  cause? 


References    for   Advanced    Study. — Chapter    111 

I.      Qualifications  for  Foreign  Missionary  Work.  ^ 

Call,  Qualifications,  and  Preparation  of  Candi-"^         y 
dates    for    Foreign    Missionary    Service,    23-243J  %/ 
Ecumenical   Missionary   Conference,   Vol.   I,   301-' 
308;  Vol.  II,  205-210. 

Speer;  Missionary  Principles  and  Practice, 
VII. 

Students  and  the  Missionary  Problem,  168-185. 
Students  and  the  Modern  Missionary  Crusade, 
101-128. 

The   Student  Missionary  Appeal,  69-81. 
World-Wide  Evangelization,  63-85. 

^Persons  desiring  to  know  the  requirements  of  candidates  for 
the  foreign  field  of  their  mission  board,  should  write  the  sec- 
retary of  the  board,  whose  name  appears  near  the  end  of  "Sug- 
gestions to  Leaders  for  the  Class  Session"  on  The  Why  and 
How  of  Foreign  Missions. 


i      Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

II.     What  Constitutes  a  Call  to  Foreign  Missionary 
Work? 

Baldwin :    Foreign    Missions    of    the    Protestant 
Churches,   III.  y 

Call :    Qualifications    and    Preparation    of   Candi-/ 

dates    for    Foreign    Missionary    Service,    1-22'. 
Gibson:  Mission  Problems  and  Mission  Methods 
in  South  China,  312-321. 
Thoburn:    Missionary    Addresses,    II. 
Thompson  :  Griffith  John,  II. 


THE     FINANCIAL     SUPPORT     OF     THE 
MISSIONARY  ENTERPRISE 


So 


The  Church  ought  to  regard  the  provision  of  am- 
ple funds  for  the  prosecution  of  its  great  campaign  as  a 
matter  of  course,  as  its  most  elementary  duty.  But 
it  should  give  much  more  than  subscriptions  and  col- 
lections. It  should  give  keen  and  eager  interest,  un- 
failing sympathy,  intelligent  and  fervent  prayer.  That 
is  "support  of  missions." 

— Eugene  Stock 

If  it  were  possible  to  secure  a  general  consensus 
of  judgment  from  a  large  number  of  people  as  to  how 
a  missionary  ought  to  live  in  order  to  exert  the  most 
profound  and  permanent  influence  over  the  people 
to  whom  he  is  sent,  there  would  probably  be  practical 
unanimity  in  the  conclusion  that  he  ought  not  to  live 
in  what  is  called  'luxury,'  even  if  such  privileges 
were  to  be  provided  by  the  missionary  society  that 
supports  him.  .  .  .  There  are  many  who  have  formed 
in  their  minds  a  conception  of  the  missionary  living 
rudely,  without  any  of  the  common  comforts  of  life, 
enduring  the  severest  hardships  and  perils  amid  most 
forbidding  surroundings.  This  conception  has  become 
so  thoroughly  fixed  in  the  minds  of  many  good  Chris- 
tians in  civilized  countries,  that  it  is  something  of  a 
shock  to  them  to  know  that  the  missionary  ordinarily 
lives  in  a  comfortable  house  with  a  good  roof  over 
his  head,  and  a  comfortable  bed  to  sleep  upon  at 
night,  and  that  he  has  daily  sufficient  food  for  the 
proper  nourishment  of  his  body. 

— James  L.  Barton 


90 


IV 


THE     FINANCIAL     SUPPORT    OF    THE 
MISSIONARY  ENTERPRISE 

T^HIS  is  a  subject  that  interests  the  lay-  a  subject  often 
•^  •'        Misunderstood 

man  who  gives  as  well  as  the  student 

who  volunteers.  There  is  special  reason  for 
discussing  it,  because  it  is  often  misunder- 
stood. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  at  the  outset  support  Rather 
that  the  principle  is  support  rather  than  com-  compensation 
pensation.  Inquiry  is  made  as  to  the  cost 
of  a  reasonably  comfortable  living,  and  a  sum 
is  assigned  that  covers  that  cost.  The  amount 
varies  in  different  fields,  as  the  cost  of  living 
varies.  A  married  man  gets  more  than  a  sin- 
gle man,  because  two  are  to  be  supported 
instead  of  one.  The  birth  of  a  child  brings 
a  small  additional  allowance,  usually  $ioo 
a  year,  because  it  means  an  increased  expen- 
diture. This  is  sometimes  criticized,  but  any 
parent  in  the  United  States  can  give  a  critic 
valuable  information  as  to  whether  a  child  can 
be  fed,  clothed,  and  educated  on  $ioo  a  year. 

Most  of  the  boards  make  a  flat  rate  for  l^^^^'jF^ 

Equalized 

all  the  missionaries  of  a  given  region,  pay- 
ing the  same  amount  to  the  new  recruit  as 

91 


92       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

to  the  veteran.  Other  boards  grade  salaries 
according  to  length  of  service,  paying  a  mini- 
mum amount  for  the  first  term,  a  little  larger 
sum  for  the  second  term,  and  a  still  larger 
one  for  the  third.  This  plan  is  growing 
in  favor,  as  it  recognizes  the  fact  that  expenses 
increase  with  enlarging  work  and  family; 
but  no  distinction  is  ever  made  on  the  ground 
of  relative  ability  or  responsibility.  The  most 
famous  preacher,  the  president  of  a  great  uni- 
versity, and  the  superintendent  of  the  largest 
hospital,  receive  precisely  the  same  salary  as 
the  humblest  member  of  the  mission. 
Evangelists,  educators,  and  physicians  are  all 
paid  the  same  salaries.  Single  men  usually  re- 
ceive a  little  more  than  single  women,  not  be- 
cause they  are  considered  as  worth  more,  but  be- 
cause it  costs  them  more  to  live,  as  they  more 
often  require  separate  establishments,  while 
single  women  can  usually  live  with  some  fam- 
ily or  in  a  school, 
^^'^^sa'iafy  ^^  will  bc  sccu  that  it  is  not  possible  to 
state  any  particular  figure  that  would  apply 
to  all  fields.  The  average  salary  is  about 
$550  for  a  single  missionary  and  $1,100  for 
a  married  one.  This  is  not  designed  to  cover 
house  accommodations,  which  are  provided 
in  addition. 
Adcqu^tfscaie  ^hc  scalc  of  support  is  intended  to  be  ade- 
quate to  the  needs  of  a  Christian  worker  who 


Support  of  Missionary  Enterprise         93 

is  not  luxurious  in  his  tastes,  and  the  prom- 
ised sum  is  promptly  paid.  It  covers,  how- 
ever, only  reasonable  needs,  and  while  minis- 
ters in  this  country  may  look  forward  to  an 
increase,  sometimes  to  large  figures,  the  most 
eminent  foreign  missionary  expects  only 
modest  support  to  the  day  of  his  death.  Other 
foreigners  in  non-christian  lands  are  paid  far 
more  liberally  than  missionaries.  It  is  as  true 
now  as  when  Macaulay  wrote,  that  "all 
English  labor  in  India,  from  the  labor  of  the 
governor-general  and  the  commander-in- 
chief  down  to  that  of  a  groom  or  a  watch- 
maker, must  be  paid  for  at  a  higher  rate  than 
at  home.  No  man  will  be  banished,  and  ban- 
ished to  the  torrid  zone,  for  nothing." 

Business  men,  who  have  commercial  deal-  by*cintr^s°/''^" 
ings  with  Asia  and  Africa,  say  that  they  have 
to  pay  three  times  the  salaries  that  are  paid 
in  America,  in  order  to  induce  their  clerks 
and  agents  to  stay  abroad.  One  of  the  latter 
is  reported  to  have  said  that  he  "  would  rather 
hang  on  to  a  lamp-post  in  the  United  States 
than  to  have  an  estate  and  a  palace  amid  the 
heat  and  dust  and  snakes  and  dirt  and  fevers 
and  fleas  of  a  typical  Oriental  country."  Such 
discomforts  do  not  characterize  all  mission 
lands,  but  they  do  characterize  many  of  them. 
The  fact  that  some  restless  adventurers  pre- 
fer an  African  jungle  or  an  Asiatic  port  does 


94      Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

not  invalidate  the  statement  that  the  average 
man  v^ill  not  Hve  amid  such  conditions  unless 
he  is  tempted  by  the  hope  of  rich  gains.  But 
missionaries  like  Dr.  Henry  H.  Jessup,  the 
famous  Syrian  preacher  and  former  Moder- 
ator of  the  Presbyterian  General  Assembly, 
Dr.  D.  Z.  Sheffield,  President  of  North 
China  Union  College,  Dr.  H.  H.  Lowry, 
President  of  Peking  University,  Dr.  John  G. 
Kerr,  the  celebrated  surgeon,  and  dozens  of 
other  distinguished  missionaries  who  could 
have  commanded  large  salaries  if  they  had 
stayed  at  home,  have  received  simply  the  ordi- 
nary missionary  income  of  $i,ooo  or  $i,ioo  a 
year  and  house  rent. 
Re°sou?ces  Nor  has  the  missionary  the  local  resources 
of  the  home  missionary.  He  cannot  accept 
money  from  native  Christians  for  his  personal 
use  without  exposing  himself  to  the  charge  of 
mercenary  motives  in  coming  among  them.  It 
is  hard  enough  at  best  for  them  to  understand 
his  disinterestedness.  He  must  be  able  to  say : 
"I  seek  not  yours,  but  you."  Therefore  if  he 
earns  money,  he  turns  it  over  to  the  board,  so 
careful  is  he  to  avoid  even  the  appearance  of 
self-seeking. 
Prices  of  Supplies  j^  is  misleading  to  say  that  "a  dollar  will 
go  further  in  a  heathen  land  than  in  America." 
It  may,  perhaps,  in  the  purchase  of  some  na- 
tive supplies,  but  not  in  the  articles  which  Eu- 


Support  of  Missionary  Enterprise         95 

ropeans  and  Americans  deem  necessary.  The 
average  mission  land  does  not  produce  the 
kinds  of  food  and  clothing  that  a  white  man 
has  to  use,  and  the  missionary  must  usually 
buy  in  the  homeland,  paying  the  same  price 
tliat  the  average  American  at  home  pays  and, 
in  addition,  the  cost  of  freight  across  a  con- 
tinent or  an  ocean,  usually  both.  True,  he 
can  sometimes  purchase  a  part  of  his  supplies 
at  a  local  store  at  exorbitant  prices;  but  as  a 
rule  he  finds  it  cheaper  to  buy  his  food  and 
clothing  in  London,  New  York,  or  Chicago. 

The  change  in  economic  conditions  in  re-  of  ultng"^  ^°^* 
cent  years  has  seriously  affected  the  mission- 
ary. The  cost  of  living  has  risen  as  rapidly 
on  the  foreign  field  as  at  home,  but  the  sal- 
aries have  risen  very  little  or  not  at  all.  A 
committee  of  the  Laos  Mission  writes :  "  The 
cost  of  vegetables,  fruit,  chickens,  eggs,  fuel, 
and  coolie  hire  has  doubled,  and  in  some  cases 
trebled,  within  the  past  twelve  years.  There 
has  also  been  a  constant  advance  in  the  prices 
of  meat  and  milk.  We  do  not  mention  such 
luxuries  as  Irish  potatoes,  which  sell  at  $24 
per  bushel  (too  dear  for  a  missionary's 
purse)  ;  nor  ham,  which  sells  at  sixty  cents 
per  pound." 

This    upward    movement    is    spreading    all  Amiri?a^°''*^ 
over    the    world.      A    missionary    in    South 
America  writes :     "  Multiply  American  prices 


96       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

of  shoes  by  two  and  a  half,  clothing  by  two, 
cheap  cloth  by  three,  underclothes  by  four, 
hats  by  three,  and  you  will  have  the  prices 
of  the  same  qualities  of  the  same  articles 
here." 
Miss^JiariistS  ^^  should  bc  bomc  in  mind,  too,  that  the 
^^""^  missionary  has  many  calls  upon  his  charity. 
Pastors  of  large  city  churches  know  how 
numerous  such  calls  are  at  home.  But  there 
is  probabl}^  no  other  Christian  worker  in  the 
world  upon  whom  they  press  so  heavily  as  the 
foreign  missionary.  He  is  among  multitudes 
of  poverty-stricken  people.  There  are  no 
charitable  agencies,  as  at  home,  to  which  they 
can  be  referred,  nor  are  there  well-to-do  lay- 
men who  can  help  in  bearing  the  burden.  The 
sick  and  starving  are  continually  appealing 
to  him.  Moreover,  as  he  organizes  the  con- 
verts into  churches,  he  wishes  to  impress  upon 
them  the  duty  of  giving  as  a  Christian  grace, 
and  in  order  to  make  his  teaching  effective, 
he  must  set  the  example.  We  do  not  know  of 
any  missionary  who  gives  less  than  one  tenth 
of  his  salary  in  these  ways,  and^many  give  a 
much  larger  proportion.  If  Christians  at 
home  would  give  as  liberally  as  missionaries, 
the  whole  enterprise  would  be  far  more  gener- 
ously supported. 
An  Absurd       j^  ^\-^q  Ugr^t  of  thcsc  facts,  the  absurdity  of 

Criticism  «-)  ^  ^  -' 

the  criticism  that   ''  missionaries  live  in  lux- 


Support  of   Missionary   Enterprise         97 

ury"  will  readily  be  seen.  Missionaries  who 
can  '*  live  in  luxury  "  in  such  circumstances 
must  be  remarkable  financiers.  The  fact  is 
that  the  missionary  is  seldom  able  to  save 
anything,  and  if  he  breaks  down,  he  becomes 
dependent. 

Globe-trotters  who  have  eagerly  accepted  statements 
missionary  hospitality  have  sometimes  been 
guilty  of  base  ingratitude  in  their  accounts  of 
it.  Oppressed  by  their  loneliness  and  hungry 
for  tidings  from  the  homeland,  the  mission- 
ary and  his  wife  heartily  welcome  the  visitor 
and,  in  honor  of  the  occasion,  bring  out  their 
little  household  treasures,  put  on  their  best 
clothes,  and  prepare  a  dinner  far  better  than 
they  ordinarily  have  or  than  they  can  really 
afford.  Then  the  guest  goes  away  to  prate 
about  the  extravagance  of  missionaries.  A 
friend  once  gave  Mrs.  Hepburn  of  Japan  a 
large  turkey,  a  costly  gift  in  Japan.  That 
very  day,  an  American  traveler  called  with  a 
letter  of  introduction.  She  invited  him  to 
dinner,  and  he  wrote  home,  and  his  statement 
was  printed  in  several  newspapers,  that  the 
most  expensive  meal  he  had  eaten  in  his  tour 
around  the  world  was  at  the  table  of  a  foreign 
missionary ! 

"  But  I  hear  that  a  certain  missionary  keeps  Quesu^Jn^"^ 
four  servants  while  I   can  afford  but  one!" 
cries  a  wife  in  America.     Allow  us  to  suggest 


98       Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

some  considerations  which  may  not  have  oc- 
curred to  this  wife. 
Methods  First,  her  one  servant  doing  general  house- 
unavoidabie  ^^q^]^  mcans  as  much  help  as  four  servants 
mean  in  a  heathen  land.  A  cook  in  India  will 
do  nothing  but  cook;  a  sweeper  nothing  but 
sweep;  a  water-drawer  nothing  but  draw 
water;  and  so  on  through  the  whole  list,  each 
one,  moreover,  performing  his  task  in  a  spirit 
the  reverse  of  strenuous.  A  cook  would  die 
rather  than  touch  a  broom,  for  he  would  break 
his  caste.  "  If,"  writes  a  missionary  wife, 
''  my  own  pleasure  were  consulted,  I  would 
certainly  prefer  working  in  my  own  home  to 
visiting  dirty  homes  infested  with  vermin  and 
offensive  odors.  It  seems  a  little  strange 
that  the  missionary  who  pays  her  servants  out 
of  her  own  salary  is  so  much  blamed  for  what 
she  would  gladly  help  if  she  could." 
Our  Municipal       Sccoud,  cousidcr,  too,  that  at  home  we  all 

Arrangements  '  .  cm 

Aid  Us  have  many  assistants  whose  services  we  fail  to 
take  into  account  in  comparing  ourselves  with 
foreign  missionaries.  The  mail-carrier  de- 
livers our  mail  without  cost  to  us;  but  the 
missionary  usually  has  to  hire  some  one  to 
get  his  mail  from  the  post-office,  which  is 
probably  miles  away.  We  can  travel  on  a 
street-car  or  a  railway  train;  but  the  mission- 
ary must  employ  coolies  to  carry  him  in  a 
chair  or  wheel  him  in  a  barrow  or  row  him  in 


Support  of  Missionary  Enterprise         99 

a  boat  to  his  preaching  appointments  in  out- 
lying villages.  The  city  policeman  patrols 
our  street;  but  the  foreigner  in  Asia  and 
Africa  must  engage  a  watchman  or  have  all 
his  belongings  stolen.  The  grocer  calls  at  our 
house  for  orders  and  delivers  the  goods ;  but 
the  missionary  must  have  a  native  to  do  his 
marketing,  as  in  many  cases  the  native  shop- 
keepers will  ask  a  foreigner  several  times 
what  they  would  ask  their  own  people,  and 
will  come  down  to  a  reasonable  figure  only 
after  hours  of  w^earisome  haggling;  for  time 
is  no  object  to  an  Oriental.  Our  complex  and 
highly  developed  civilization  in  Europe  and 
America  enables  the  average  man  to  avail 
himself  daily  of  the  labors  of  scores  of  others. 
The  missionary,  living  in  more  primitive  con- 
ditions, must  hire  servants,  or  neglect  his  work 
and  spend  the  greater  part  of  his  time  doing 
things  himself  that  natives  can  do  just  as  well 
and  at  smaller  cost. 

Third,  the  foreign  missionary,  living  as  he  °p'"  "°"^'e  Kepi 
does  in  lands  where  hotels  are  few  and  vile 
and  where  Oriental  ideas  of  hospitality  pre- 
vail, is  forced  to  keep  open  house  for  all 
comers.  The  occasional  traveler  and  the  con- 
stantly passing  and  repassing  missionaries  of 
his  own  and  other  churches  must  be  freely 
entertained.  The  natives,  too,  call  in  ap- 
palling numbers.     The  host,  like  Abraham  of 


lOO     Why  and  How  of  P'oreign  Missions 

old,  must  hasten  to  set  meat  and  drink  before 
every  guest,  for  failure  to  do  so  would  be 
deemed  a  breach  of  hospitality  and  an  offense 
which  would  probably  end  the  missionary's 
influence.  A  missionary's  wife  in  Syria  says 
that  she  often  had  twenty  to  meals  and  a  hun- 
dred callers  in  a  single  day,  all  of  whom  had 
to  be  served  with  cakes  and  coffee  or  lemon- 
ade. Another  in  China  had  4,580  women  vis- 
itors in  one  year,  besides  men  and  children. 
Tea  had  to  be  provided  for  all  that  host. 
"'uJfJn'Mfs'Jion  Fourth,  would  it  be  common  sense  to  send 
Workers  ^^^  educatcd  Christian  woman  as  a  foreign 
missionary,  and  then  force  her  to  spend  her 
time  in  cooking  meals  and  washing  dishes, 
when  she  can  hire  native  servants  who  are 
glad  to  do  that  work  for  a  few  cents  a  day? 
Julian  Ralph,  writing  from  Asia  on  this  sub- 
ject, says :  "  I  demand  that  the  missionaries 
keep  servants.  They  are  paid  to  give  their 
time  to  missionary  work,  and,  especially  in 
the  case  of  a  wife  and  mother,  I  claim  she  has 
no  right  to  do  housework,  sewing,  and  similar 
work  and  give  only  her  leisure  from  such 
things  to  that  service  for  which  she  has  a 
regular  salary." 
"-^NafivelD?'-  Somc  pcoplc  iunoccntly  ask,  "Why  don't 
missionaries  live  as  the  natives  do?"  Such 
people  probably  do  not  know  how  the  natives 
live.     The   African   fastens  a  yard  of  calico 


Support  of  Missionary  Enterprise       lOi 

around  his  waist,  ties  a  string  of  beads  about 
his  neck,  and  fancies  himself  dressed  for  all 
occasions.  Bare-headed,  bare-chested,  and 
bare-footed,  he  exposes  himself  to  the  fierce 
rays  of  the  tropical  sun,  and  when  night 
comes,  with  its  chill  air  and  drenching  dew, 
he  sleeps  upon  the  ground.  An  American 
doing  that  would  be  smitten  with  African 
fever  within  twenty-four  hours.  The  Chinese 
lives  contentedly  and  works  hard  on  a  hand- 
ful of  rice  a  day,  and  in  a  dark,  unventilated 
room,  not  much  larger  than  the  kennel  in 
which  the  reader  keeps  his  dog.  Would  the 
critic  live  that  way?  Could  he?  A  typical 
heathen  woman  does  all  the  drudgery  of  the 
household,  collects  fuel,  tills  the  fields,  and 
secures  and  prepares  the  food.  Do  the  critics 
at  home  want  their  wives  to  do  such  work? 
Burmese  children  run  around  naked  until  they 
are  about  ten  years  of  age.  Would  we  allow 
our  children  to  do  so? 

Live  as  a  heathen  does?  The  heathen  does  s,^fficLVt 
not  live.  The  death-rate  of  heathenism  is  Argument 
appalling.  The  men  die  of  consumption  and 
pneumonia  and  fevers  and  cholera  and  small- 
pox. The  children  are  carried  off  in  regi- 
ments by  diphtheria  and  measles  and  scarlet 
fever  and  cholera  infantum ;  while  as  for  the 
women,  at  the  age  of  forty,  when  the  English 
and  American  woman  is  in  the  full  splendor 


102     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

of  her  beauty,  the  typical  heathen  woman  is 
old  and  withered. 
An  Experiment  jf  any  critic  really  imagines  that  he  could 
live  as  the  heathen  live,  let  him  try  it.  Let 
him  build  a  hut  in  his  back  yard — no  floor  but 
the  beaten  earth,  no  windows  but  latticed  or 
paper-covered  openings,  no  bed  but  a  hard 
platform,  no  stove  but  an  open  fire  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  room,  no  chimney  but  a  hole  in 
the  roof  through  which  the  smoke  rises  and 
the  wind  and  rain  and  snow  fall,  and  no  fuel 
but  manure  mixed  with  grass,  made  into 
cakes  by  his  wife  or  daughter  and  dried  in  the 
sun.  For  food,  let  him  buy  three  bushels  of 
corn.  It  will  sustain  life  for  several  weeks 
and  cost  but  a  dollar.  Have  the  wife  pound 
it  between  two  stones,  mix  it  with  water  and 
bake  it  in  the  ashes.  Then  let  him  eat  corn 
for  breakfast  and  corn  for  dinner  and  corn  for 
supper,  and  the  next  day  eat  corn  for  break- 
fast and  corn  for  dinner  and  com  for  sup- 
per, and  before  many  days  have  passed, 
even  the  most  obtuse  critic  will  know  why 
the  foreign  missionary  does  not  and  cannot 
live  as  the  natives  do. 

No,  the  boards  are  not  going  to  ask  for- 
eign missionaries  to  live  as  the  natives  do. 
The  missionary  is  a  civilized  man  and  he 
needs  some  things  that  the  uncivilized  man 
does  without.     Making  all  due  allowance  for 


Disastrous 
Economy 


Support  of  Missionary   Enterprise       103 

exceptional  places,  it  still  remains  true  that 
the  average  foreign  missionary  lives  and 
works  under  a  strain  which  few  at  home  real- 
ize, and  it  would  be  folly  to  compel  him  to 
adopt  a  mode  of  life  that  would  wreck  his 
constitution  in  a  few  years.  Common  sense 
dictates  that,  having  incurred  the  expense  of 
sending  him  out,  he  should  be  so  equipped 
that  he  may  be  able  to  do  the  work  for  which 
he  was  sent.  The  disastrous  experience  of 
the  x\merican  army  in  Cuba  taught  the  gov- 
ernment that  it  is  poor  policy  to  economize  in 
the  support  of  soldiers.  A  division  of  in- 
valids is  worth  little  in  a  campaign.  Shall  the 
Church  be  less  wise  in  taking  reasonable  care 
of  its  men? 

We  grant  that  there  are  richer  natives  who 
live  on  a  much  better  scale ;  but  their  expendi- 
tures are  so  great  that  a  missionary  could  not 
possibly  equal  them.  The  Chinese  mandarin 
and  the  East  Indian  noble  often  spend  money 
lavishly;  but  even  then,  their  ideas  of  comfort 
differ  so  widely  from  ours  that  their  homes 
could  scarcely  be  deemed  ideal  by  the  average 
American.  Thousands  of  young  men  in  Eng- 
land have  pleasanter  bedrooms  than  the  Em- 
peror of  China,  and  the  average  mechanic  in 
the  United  States  has  a  more  comfortably 
warmed  house  than  a  samurai  of  Japan,  in 
spite  of  the  costly  furs  that  lie  on  his  floor  and 


A  Different 
Standard 


104     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

the  elaborate  carvings  that  adorn  his  room. 
The  food  and  general  manner  of  life  of  the 
wealthier  classes  in  Asia  would  quickly  under- 
mine the  health  of  a  European  or  American. 
Proper  Means       j^  jg  gaid  that  the  missiouarics  of  certain 

Not  to  Be 

Disregarded  independent  organizations  are  not  maintained 
as  are  the  missionaries  of  the  denominational 
boards.  This  is  an  error,  so  far  as  the  best 
of  these  societies  are  concerned.  The  actual 
salary  may  be  smaller,  but  there  are  allow^- 
ances  that  the  denominational  boards  do  not 
make,  so  .that  the  net  result  to  the  missionary 
is  practically  the  same.  There  are,  however, 
independent  societies  of  which  the  statement 
is  true;  but  the  frequent  result  is  suffering 
that  ought  to  have  been  avoided,  or  else,  as 
one  missionary  writes,  ''  The  independent 
missionary  cultivates  friendly  relations  with 
some  neighboring  board  missionary;  his  calls, 
by  a  singular  coincidence,  usually  happening 
about  meal-time."  A  disregard  of  means 
that  God  has  provided  is  neither  religion  nor 
business.  The  Christian  at  home  has  no  right 
to  demand  all  the  good  things  of  life  for  him- 
self— comfortable  house,  abundant  food,  ade- 
quate clothing — and  then  insist  that  his  per- 
sonal representative  in  preaching  the  gospel 
abroad  shall  be  half-starved.  If  it  is  a  Chris- 
tian's duty  to  live  like  a  tramp  without  visible 
means  of  support,  let  the  home  pastor  and  lay- 


Support  of   Missionary   Enterprise       105 

man  set  the  example.  It  is  easier  to  do  it 
here  than  in  a  heathen  land  and  less  dan- 
gerous to  health. 

It  should  be  remembered,  too,  that  the  mis-  J.^^  Missionary 

'  '        ^  ^     ^  Home  an  Object- 

sionary  represents  not  only  a  superior  religion  ^^sson 
but,  in  some  lands  at  least,  the  more  decent 
style  of  living  which  has  resulted  from  that 
religion.  It  is,  though  a  subordinate,  yet  a 
real  part  of  his  mission  to  exemplify  this.  His 
better  house  and  mode  of  living  are  them- 
selves an  object-lesson  of  the  uplifting  influ- 
ence of  Christianity.  He  would  be  untrue  to 
his  faith  if  he  abdicated  the  function  of  a 
Christian  gentleman  and  lived  like  a  barbar- 
ian. He  goes  out  to  bring  the  heathen  up  to 
his  level,  not  to  go  down  to  theirs. 

Nor  would  personal  degradation  be  more  saVnficr 
likely  to  win  the  natives  to  Christianity. 
Dr.  John  Forman,  of  India,  made  a  per- 
sistent effort  to  live  like  the  natives.  He 
rented  a  small  room,  wore  cheap  clothes,  and 
ate  the  simplest  food.  He  writes :  "  What  I 
had  longed  for  was  to  get  near  the  people,  to 
convince  them  that  I  really  was  working  only 
for  their  salvation  and  that  I  was  denying  my- 
self for  them.  I  was  never  more  thoroughly 
earnest  about  anything  I  undertook,  and  never 
have  I  felt  that  I  made  a  more  dismal  failure. 
Everything  turned  out  just  as  I  had  not  ex- 
pected.   They  seemed  to  regard  me  as  nothing 


Different  Modes 


io6    Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

but  poor  white  trash.  The  idea  that  I  had 
vohmtarily  given  up  anything  or  was  denyins; 
myself  never  occurred  to  them.  I  was  still 
the  same  government  official,  only  had  not 
succeeded  in  getting  a  very  remunerative  posi- 
tion. I  had  less  influence  instead  of  more. 
I  met  with  a  great  deal  of  opposition,  a  vast 
amount  of  ridicule,  and  had  no  end  of  yelling, 
hooting,  and  hand-clapping  from  the  small 
boys,  but  my  success  seemed  to  end  there." 
of  Living  '^^^  ^^^^  ^s  ^^^^  ^^  American  simply  cannot 
equal  an  East  Indian  fakir  in  his  mode  of 
living.  The  latter  sprinkles  himself  with 
ashes,  begs  his  frugal  meals,  wears  nothing 
but  a  loin-cloth,  subjects  himself  to  frightful 
austerities,  performs  his  devotions  in  public 
places,  and  never  washes  himself.  The  plain- 
est living  possible  to  a  foreigner  impresses 
the  natives  as  luxurious  in  comparison  with 
their  own  devotees,  and  therefore  has  abso- 
lutely no  good  effect  upon  them. 
"^'wJeckS'by  Some  missionaries,  who  do  not  believe  in 
Wrong  Theories  ]->oards  or  fixcd  salarics,  have  gone  out  inde- 
pendently, with  the  intention  of  supporting 
themselves  by  teaching  or  some  other  kind  of 
work,  or  of  subsisting  on  the  direct  spontan- 
eous gifts  of  individuals  or  local  churches  at 
home.  The  results  have  usually  been  disas- 
trous. Dr.  Lawrence  said  that  it  seemed  to 
him  "  that  India  was  literally  strewn  with  the 


r 


•  n 


#^ 


.A"t 


Support  of  Missionary  Enterprise       107 

wrecks  of  mission  work  begun  by  such  inde- 
pendent missionaries,  but  for  one  reason  and 
another  abandoned.  Much  the  same  is  prov- 
ing true  of  Africa." 

A  missionary  who  has  no  means  of  his  own  a  Mission  Board 

-^  the  Best  Agency 

cannot  hve  in  Asia  or  Africa  without  a  salary. 
He  cannot  reasonably  expect  the  poverty- 
stricken  natives  to  support  him.  If  he  sup- 
ports himself,  he  must  toil  in  a  way  that  will 
undermine  his  health,  secularize  his  life,  and 
probably  expose  him  to  the  charge  of  mer- 
cenary motives.  If  he  depends  upon  a  salary 
from  home,  a  board  is  the  best  agency  for  its 
collection  and  payment.  A  missionary  once 
declined  to  receive  further  salary  from  his 
board  on  the  ground  that  the  Holy  Spirit  had 
directed  him  "  to  trust  the  Lord  to  support 
him  by  the  voluntary  gifts  of  his  people." 
Such  a  request  indicates  a  confusion  of  ideas. 
Does  not  the  Lord  provide  money  that  his 
people  send  through  a  board?  It  is  not  a 
question  whether  a  missionary  shall  receive 
money  for  his  support;  it  is  whether  he  shall 
receive  it  in  the  orderly  way  that  the  people 
of  God,  led  by  his  Spirit,  have  instituted.  A 
Christian  worker  who  refuses  a  salary  either 
receives  a  larger  sum  than  he  ought  to  have, 
with  the  attendant  injustice  to  givers  and 
waste  of  the  Lord's  money,  or  he  receives 
less  than  he  ought  to  get,  with  the  attendant 


io8     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

injury  to  his  own  health  and  wrong  to  those 
who  are  dependent  upon  him.  When  Mr. 
Moody  conducted  a  series  of  meetings  in  a 
certain  city,  he  agreed  to  a  definite  payment  for 
his  services,  and  all  beheved  him  to  be  both 
pious  and  sensible.  Another  evangelist,  a 
year  or  two  later,  refused  to  enter  into  any 
financial  compact  or  to  allow  any  collections 
or  subscription  papers,  stating  that  he  would 
take  only  what  the  Spirit  of  God  prompted 
the  people  to  give.  The  result  was  not  only 
embarrassment  for  the  committee  in  charge, 
but,  in  the  end,  a  considerably  larger  sum  than 
he  ought  to  have  had. 
A  Sensible  View  j|-  appcars  reasonablc  to  insist  that  if  a 
missionary  ought  to  go  to  the  foreign  field 
at  all,  the  home  Church  ought  to  send  him 
and  maintain  him,  unless  he  has  a  personal 
income  that  suffices  for  his  wants,  and  that 
gifts  for  his  support  should  be  sent  through 
the  established  agency  of  the  Church  to 
which  he  belongs.  Faith  and  piety  are  con- 
sistent .with  common  sense. 
Regular  Salary       ^\^q     qucstion     lias     ofteu     bccu     mooted 

Payments  ^ 

whether  a  board,  instead  of  guaranteeing  the 
missionary  a  fixed  salary,  should  not  simply 
send  him  his  proportion  of  whatever  sum  it 
may  receive.  But  the  receipts  of  all  the 
boards  come  in  very  irregularly  and  seldom 
equal  expenditures  for  the  first  eight  months 


Support  of   Missionary  Enterprise       109 

of  a  fiscal  year.  If  a  board  simply  distributed 
receipts  as  they  came  in,  the  missionaries 
would  not  have  enough  to  live  upon  for  two 
thirds  of  the  year.  They  would  suffer  for 
the  necessaries  of  life,  or  they  would  have  to 
run  up  debts  that  would  seriously  compromise 
their  missionary  reputation. 

rr>i  1  •  •    •  1  The  Church  Must 

1  he  plan  mipresses  us  as  visionary  and  un-  carry  the  Risk 
businesslike.  No  sensible  layman  would 
dream  of  conducting  his  business  on  any  such 
basis.  Nor  should  we  expect  grocers  and 
butchers  and  clothiers  of  heathen  or  Chris- 
tian lands  to  supply  missionaries  with  the 
necessaries  of  life,  with  the  understanding 
that  they  will  be  paid  for,  if  the  Lord 
moves  his  people  to  provide  the  funds.  If 
that  scheme  is  a  good  one,  why  should  it  not 
be  made  equally  applicable  to  ministers  at 
home?  There  is  no  valid  reason  why  it  should 
be  confined  to  the  foreign  missionaries.  We 
believe  that  the  only  sound  principle,  both  in 
faith  and  in  business,  is  that  the  Church 
should,  through  a  duly  constituted  board,  as- 
sume responsibility  for  the  support  of  the  mis- 
sionaries that  it  sends  out.  When  God  calls 
men  to  go,  he  calls  his  people  to  send.  If  there 
is  financial  risk  to  be  taken,  the  Church  should 
take  it.  It  is  neither  fair  nor  Christian  to  un- 
load its  proper  responsibilities  upon  the  al- 
ready c^er-burdened  missionaries. 


Missionaries  Not 
Too  Luxurious 


iio     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

n^rfes^NDt  Information  about  the  houses  of  mission- 
aries is  frequently  desired,  especially  by  those 
who  have  been  disturbed  by  statements  that 
they  are  equal  to  the  houses  of  native  noble- 
men. A  similar  statement  might  be  made 
about  the  houses  of  many  American  me- 
chanics. We  do  not  deny  that  the  mission- 
ary's dwelling  often  appears  palatial  in  com- 
parison with  the  wretched  hovels  in  which 
the  natives  herd  like  rabbits  in  a  warren. 
Shattered  health  and  rapidly  filled  cemeteries 
have  taught  missionaries  that,  if  they  are  to 
live,  they  must  go  a  little  apart  from  the  mal- 
odorous, insanitary,  human  pigsty,  with  its 
rotting  garbage  and  open  cesspools,  select  a 
site  high  enough  to  afford  natural  drainage, 
and  build  a  house  with  a  sufficient  number  of 
cubic  feet  of  space  for  the  persons  who  are  to 
occupy  it.  Then  the  natural  taste  of  the  hus- 
band leads  him  to  make  a  little  lawn  and  to 
set  out  a  few  shrubs  and  flowers,  while  in- 
doors his  wife  sensibly  makes  everything  as 
cozy  and  attractive  as  she  can  with  the  means 
at  her  disposal.  As  it  is  supposed  to  be  a 
home  for  life,  articles  by  gift  and  purchase  are 
gradually  accumulated,  and  it  really  becomes 
a  pretty  place  in  time.  Contrasting  as  it  does 
with  the  miserable  habitations  of  a  heathen 
city,  it  attracts  attenion;  but  its  attractiveness 
is  not  due  to  the  lavish  expenditure  of  money, 


Support  of  Missionary  Enterprise       iii 

but  to  the  good  taste  and  inventiveness  of  a  cul- 
tivated, intelligent  family. 

The  visitor  approaching:  Fusan,   Korea,   is  Missionary  Good 

^^  °  '  '  Fortune  in  Fusan 

apt  to  remark  upon  the  buildings  that  stand 
conspicuously  upon  the  hill,  and  to  hear  a 
sneer  about  the  selfishness  and  ostentation  of 
missionaries  in  selecting  the  best  sites.  The 
facts  are  that  when  the  missionaries  went  to 
Fusan,  they  could  not  afford  to  buy  in  the 
city,  and  they  took  the  hill  site  because  it  was 
unoccupied  and  cheap,  paying  just  $75  for 
the  whole  tract  on  which  church,  hospital,  and 
residences  now  stand.  The  owner  was  glad 
to  get  that  price,  as  the  land  was  then  prac- 
tically valueless.  That  time  has  proved  it  to 
be  the  best  site  in  Fusan,  and  that  the  mission 
occupation  of  it  led  others  to  seek  the  neigh- 
borhood so  that  the  place  is  now  valuable,  is 
simply  a  tribute  to  the  good  judgment  of  the 
missionaries. 

Another  illustration  occurred  in  Persia,  a  Persian 
where  the  missionaries  were  accused  of  hav- 
ing for  a  summer  resort  at  Lake  Urumia 
*'  one  of  the  finest  palaces  in  all  the  land." 
The  ''  palace "  referred  to  was  an  old, 
abandoned  one-story  and  basement  mud  build- 
ing, which  the  owner  was  delighted  to  sell  to 
the  missionaries  for  $80.  They  fixed  it  up 
as  best  they  could  with  a  private  gift  of  $170 
from  a  kind-hearted  lady  in  St.  Louis,  and  then 


Residences 


112     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

the  several  missionary  famihes  of  Urumia 
took  turns  in  occupying  it  for  a  few  weeks 
during  the  heated  term. 
^''^"^Snss^onar^y  ^  few  missiouary  residences  in  different 
lands  have  been  built  by  wealthy .  relatives  for 
particular  missionaries,  and  occasionally  one 
is  built  as  a  memorial  for  a  deceased  friend. 
But  the  average  missionary  residence  costs 
from  $2,500  to  $3,000,  including  land.  Build- 
ing in  most  fields  is  quite  as  expensive  as  at 
home.  Indeed  lumber,  glass,  and  hardware 
can  often  be  imported  from  England  or  Am- 
erica cheaper  than  they  can  be  bought  on  the 
field.  Many  missionary  houses  in  China  and 
Korea  contain  Oregon  lumber,  Pittsburg  win- 
dows, and  Birmingham  metals.  The  reader 
can  therefore  judge  for  himself  how  palatial 
such  a  place  must  be.  The  average  missionary 
residence  is  about  like  the  home  of  a  country 
clergyman  or  school-teacher  in  England  and 
America;  though  in  the  tropics,  the  fertility 
of  the  soil,  the  luxuriance  of  palms  and  foliage- 
plants,  and  the  cheapness  of  labor  make  it 
easier  for  the  missionary  to  have  beautiful 
grounds. 


Support  of  Missionary  Enterprise       113 

QUESTIONS  ON  CHAPTER  IV 

Aim  :  To  Understand  why  Missionaries  Receive  the 
Salaries  They  do 

1.  In  the  Society  of  Friends,  the  ministers  receive 
no  salaries.  What  are  the  advantages  of  this 
arrangement? 

2.  What  are  the  principal  arguments  against  it? 

3.  If  the  ministry  is  to  be  salaried,  what  prin- 
ciples should  determine  the  amount  each 
individual    is   to   receive? 

4.  How  ought  the  homes  of  ministers  to  compare 
with   those  of  their   congregations? 

5.  What  possible  abuses  of  the  system  should 
be  guarded  against? 

6.  Is  a  congregation  which  desires  an  able  man 
justified    in    offering    an    "attractive"    salary? 

7.  To  what  extent  should  the  principles  which 
govern  the  support  of  ministers  at  home  apply 
to  missionaries  on  the  foreign  field? 

8.  What  arguments  can  you  give  for  paying 
missionaries  smaller  salaries  than  the  average 
home  minister? 

9.  What  arguments  can  you  give  for  paying  them 
larger  salaries? 

ID.  What  likelihood  is  there  that  any  one  would 
become  a  foreign  missionary  from  sordid 
motives  ? 

11.  Name  the  principal  sacrifices  that  a  missionary 
is  called  upon  to  make. 

12.  What  salary  would  compensate  you  for  these 
sacrifices  if  you  had  no  heart  interest  in  the 
work  ? 

13.  What  would  you  judge  as  to  the  relative  attrac- 


114     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  'Missions 

tiveness  of  the  ministry  at  home  and  on  the 
foreign  field  from  the  relative  numbers  in  each 
calling? 

14.  What  percentage  of  the  missionary  force  do 
you  think  would  have  received  larger  salaries 
if  they  had  remained  at  home? 

15.  In  what  degree  of  "luxury"  ought  a  mission- 
ary to  live? 

16.  What  are  the  arguments  for  and  against  as 
attractive  a  Western  home  as  his  salary  per- 
mits? 

19.  Would  it  be  true  economy  for  the  missionary's 
wife  to  have  no  servants  and  do  her  own 
housework  ? 

20.  In  what  expense  is  the  board  involved  when 
a  missionary  breaks  down? 

21.  Hov/  long  would  it  be  before  a  new  volunteer 
would  equal  a  retiring  missionary  in  efficiency? 

22.  From  a  business  standpoint  what  is  the  rela- 
tive importance  of  care  of  health  by  a  mission- 
ary and  a  home  minister? 

23.  Do  you  think  that  critics  would  really  remain 
satisfied  if  missionaries  lived  as  the  natives  do? 

24.  What  are  the  arguments  for  and  against  self- 
support  by  missionaries? 

25.  Would  it  ordinarily  take  more  or  less  time 
for  an  American  to  earn  his  support  in  this 
country  than  in   China? 

26.  How  much  longer  would  it  take  to  build  up 
a  strong  native  church  if  the  missionaries  gave 
only  the  time  not  required  for  self-support  to 
the  work? 

27.  Would  the  missionary  force  be  increased  in 
efficiency  if  the  policy  of  self-supporting  mis- 
sionaries were  adopted? 


Support  of  Missionary  Enterprise       115 

28.  What  is  there  in  the  case  of  the  Apostle  Paul 
that  is  not  parallel? 

29.  Is  the  Christian  Church  really  too  poor  to  pro- 
vide a  support  for  missionaries? 

30.  Where  does  the  responsibility  rest  for  seeing 
that  the  missionary  enterprise  is  properly  fi- 
nanced ? 

3T.  What  money  do  you  think  you  have  invested 
more  economically  and  profitably  than  that 
which  you  have  given  to  foreign  missions? 


References    for    Advanced    Study, — Chapter    IV 

I.  Missionaries    and   Luxurious   Living. 

Barton:    The    Missionary    and    His    Critics,    IX. 
Mason:  The  Little  Green  God,  II. 

II.  Housekeeping   and  Servants. 

Maxwell :    The    Bishop's    Conversion,    XII. 
Nevius :  China  and  the  Chinese,  Z3S-337' 
Rowe:  Every-Day  Life  in  India,  XXII. 
Underwood:   With  Tommy  Tompkins  in  Korea, 
XIL 


THE  MISSIONARY  AT  WORK 


117 


The  practical  value  of  educational  missions  may 
be  inferred  from  an  incident  in  the  work  of  certain 
missionaries  in  the  interior  of  Africa.  They  gave 
themselves  wholly  to  evangelistic  work  without  any 
effort  at  education,  under  the  mistaken  idea  that  pro- 
claiming the  gospel  to  those  who  had  not  heard  it  was 
the  beginning  and  the  end  of  missionary  endeavor. 
After  years  of  faithful  preaching,  the  gospels  were 
translated  into  the  native  language,  when  it  was  dis- 
covered   that    none    could    read ! 

— Wilson  S.  Naylor 

In  some  missions  the  evangelistic  agency  has  been 
overshadowed  by  some  other  department  of  activity. 
While  the  importance  of  the  other  agencies  must  not 
be  minimized,  the  neglect  of  presenting  the  gospel 
would  be  disastrous  to  the  whole  missionary  enterprise. 
Among  the  people  every  effort  must  be  made  to  heal 
their  physical  ills,  to  care  for  them  in  distress,  to  teach 
them  the  means  of  obtaining  an  honest  living,  to  raise 
up  an  intelligent  and  efficient  leadership,  yet  it  must 
be  borne  in  mind  that  the  dominating  purpose  of  mis- 
sions is  to  make  Christ  pre-eminent  in  the  lives  of  the 
millions.  If  any  department  may  be  magni- 
fied it  is  the  evangelistic,  but  unquestionably  the  wiser 
plan  is  to  have  all  these  vital  agencies  permeated  with 
the  spirit  of  winning  the  allegiance  of  the  people  to 
the  Master. 

— James  M.   Thoburn 


THE  MISSIONARY  AT  WORK 

^  I  ''HE  variety  and  scope  of  the  foreign  mis-  a  Missionary's 

-■-  sionary's  work  are  in  sharp  contrast 
with  the  work  of  the  minister  at  home.  The 
latter  hardly  realizes  to  what  an  extent  his 
efforts  are  reinforced  by  the  results  of  cen- 
turies of  religious  teaching.  These  helps  do 
not  exist  in  most  non-christian  lands,  and 
therefore  the  missionary  must  create  them. 
He  must  found  not  only  churches,  but  schools, 
hospitals,  printing-presses,  kindergartens,  or- 
phanages, and  the  various  other  kinds  of 
Christian  and  benevolent  work  carried  on  in 
this  country.  He  must  train  up  a  native  min- 
istry, erect  buildings,  translate  and  print 
books  and  tracts  and  catechisms.  The 
gospel  must  be  so  presented  as  to  touch 
the  lives  of  men  at  many  points,  and 
they  must  be  helped  in  making  the 
adaptation  to  new  conditions.  In  some  lands, 
the  missionary  must  even  teach  the  men  how 
to  make  clothing,  to  build  houses,  and  to  cul- 
tivate the  soil;  while  his  wife  must  show  the    ■ 


I20     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 


Intensity  and 
Wide  Range 


Four  Main  Lines 


women  how  to  sew  and  to  cook,  to  care  for 
children  and  to  make  a  decent  home. 

The  phrase  "  missionary  at  work  "  is  there- 
fore not  a  misnomer.  Those  who  imagine 
that  ''  missionaries  have  an  easy  time  "  httle 
reahze  the  heavy  and  persistent  toil  that  is  in- 
volved in  missionary  effort.  Foreign  mis- 
sionaries are  among  the  hardest  worked  men 
in  the  world.  Much  of  this  work,  too,  is  done 
in  unfavorable  climates  and  amid  conditions 
that  tell  heavily  upon  the  strength  and; 
nerves.  The  typical  hospital,  with  work 
enough  for  two  or  three  physicians,  has  but 
one  medical  missionary,  and  he  must  perform 
every  operation  and  attend  every  sick  patient, 
save  for  such  native  assistants  as  he  may  be 
able  to  snatch  a  little  time  to  train.  Schools, 
which  at  home  would  have  a  half  dozen  or 
more  teachers,  have  but  one  or  two.  The  or- 
dained missionary  often  finds  himself  obliged 
to  unite  the  adaptability  of  a  jack-of-all- 
trades  to  the  functions  of  an  archbishop. 

The  ordinary  work  of  the  foreign  mission- 
ary is  along  four  main  lines.  Probably  the 
first  impression  of  the  traveler  is  of  the 


Educational   Work 


^the^^hi"Je°n        This  is  partly  because  it  is  represented  by 
institutions  that  are  more  conspicuous,  partly 


The  Missionary  at  Work  121 

because  children  are  much  in  evidence  in  a 
typical  heathen  city.  They  are  sweet-faced, 
bright-eyed  children,  to  whom  one  is  in- 
stinctively drawn.  One  hears  the  patter  of 
their  wooden  sandals  in  the  streets  of  Japan. 
He  sees  their  quaintly  grave  faces  in  the  rice- 
fields  of  China.  He  never  wearies  of  watch- 
ing their  brown,  chubby  little  bodies  on  the 
river  banks  of  Siam.  His  heart  aches  as  he 
sees  their  emaciated  limbs  and  wan  looks  in 
India.  Everywhere  their  features  are  so  ex- 
pressive, that  he  feels  that  they  ought  to  have 
a  better  chance  in  life  and  that  he  ought  to 
help  them  to  get  it,  while  new  meaning  ir- 
radiates the  words :  *'  It  is  not  the  will  of 
your  Father  ....  that  one  of  these 
little  ones  should  perish." 

In  this  spirit,  one  of  the  first  and  most  lov-  schools  and  Thei 

,.-,..  .  ,  ,  Beneficent 

mg  duties  of  the  missionary  is  to  gather  these  service 
children  into  schools  and  to  teach  them  for 
this  life  and  the  life  to  come.  Day-schools  of 
primary  grade  are,  of  course,  the  most  num- 
erous and  they  reach  myriads  of  little  ones. 
Above  them  are  the  boarding-schools,  where 
children  are  under  the  continuous  care  of  the 
missionary.  If  he  be  a  benefactor  of  the  race 
who  makes  two  blades  of  grass  grow  where 
one  grew  before,  what  shall  be  said  of  the  mis- 
sionary who  takes  a  half-naked  urchin  out  of 
the  squalor  of  a  mud  hut,  where  both  sexes 


122     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

and  all  ages  herd  like  pigs,  teaches  him  to 
bathe  himself,  to  respect  woman,  to  tell  the 
truth,  to  earn  an  honest  living,  and  to  serve 
God.  It  means  even  more  for  the  girls  than 
for  the  boys,  for  heathenism,  which  venerates 
animals,  despises  women.  In  sacred  Benares, 
India,  I  saw  a  man  make  reverent  way  for  a 
cow,  and  a  little  farther  on  roughly  push  a 
woman  out  of  his  path.  I  sav/  monkeys  in 
the  protected  luxury  of  a  temple,  w^hile  at  its 
gates  starving  girls  begged  for  bread.  Is 
there  any  work  more  Christlike  than  the  gath- 
ering of  these  neglected  ones  into  clean  dormi- 
tories and  showing  them  the  meaning  of  vir- 
tue, of  industry,  and  of  that  which  does  not 
exist  throughout  all  the  pagan  world,  except 
where  the  gospel  has  made  it,  a  pure,  sweet 
Christian  home? 
Higher  Schools  Collcges  and  normal,  medical,  and  theologi- 
cal schools  take  the  more  promising  grad- 
uates of  the  boarding-schools  and  train  them 
for  special  work  among  their  own  people. 
The  equipment  of  these  institutions  is  often 
very  humble  as  compared  with  the  magnifi- 
cent buildings  of  many  of  our  home  colleges; 
but  we  may  safely  challenge  Europe  and  Am- 
erica to  show  colleges  which  have  achieved 
more  solid  results  with  such  limited  resources. 
Many  a  mission  college  turns  out  well-trained 
men  on  an  incom.e  that  would  hardly  keep  a 
home  university  in  lights  and  fuel. 


The  Missionary  at  Work  123 

These  schools  and  colleges  are  exerting  an  fnn°ue"^?e^ 
enormous  influence.  They  lead  many  students 
to  Christ.  They  undermine  the  superstitions 
and  dispel  the  prejudices  of  many  who  are 
not  immediately  converted.  They  give  the 
missionary  access  to  new  villages  and  zena- 
nas and  familiarize  the  heathen  mind  with 
Christian  conceptions.  They  often  form  the 
most  effective  means  of  reaching  the  upper 
classes.  Scores  of  mission  schools  are  edu- 
cating the  sons  and  daughters  of  officials, 
noblemen,  and  in  some  countries,  of  royal 
princes. 

An  interesting  illustration  of  the  oppor-  Led  by  a  chiid 
tunities  thus  created  occurred  in  Bangkok, 
Siam.  A  nobleman,  whom  the  missionary 
had  vainly  tried  to  lead  to  Christ,  sent  his 
only  son  to  the  Christian  Boys'  High  School. 
A  year  or  two  later,  in  an  epidemic  of  cholera, 
the  boy  died.  The  missionary  gently  told  the 
stricken  parents  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  who 
sometimes  took  a  lamb  in  his  arms  to  induce 
the  sheep  to  follow  him.  Deeply  moved,  the 
father  sketched  an  outline  of  the  incident  and 
bade  an  artist  paint  it.  He  showed  us  the 
picture:  a  shepherd,  with  a  kindly  face,  carry- 
ing a  lamb  in  his  bosom,  while  afar  off  two 
sheep,  which  had  been  walking  away,  were 
turning  with  wistful  eyes  to  follow  their 
loved  one.     "  Now,"   said  the  nobleman,   "  I 


124    Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

want  to  give  10,000  ticals  to  build  a  church 
in  recognition  of  God's  deahngs  with  me 
through  my  boy."  And  we  said :  It  is  as 
true  now  as  of  old  that  "  a  little  child  shall 
lead  them." 
uncomprom_ism^g-  ^11  missiou  schools  are  uncompromisingly 
Christian.  The  Bible  is  the  chief  text-book. 
Jesus  is  the  great  Teacher.  Prayer  is  the 
atmosphere.  Japan  tested  missionary  fidelity 
to  this  position.  All  avenues  of  preferment 
lead  from  the  schools  which  have  government 
recognition.  The  mission  schools  were  thus 
recognized ;  but  one  day,  the  Minister  of  State 
for  Education  issued  an  order  forbidding  any 
religious  instruction  in  schools  approved  by 
the  government.  The  missionaries  had  to 
choose  that  day  whom  they  would  serve. 
Severance  from  the  government  system  ^of 
education  meant  that  students  would  be,  in 
effect,  debarred  from  the  university  and  from 
many  positions  that  are  coveted  by  the  pat- 
riotic Japanese.  But  the  missionaries  and  the 
boards  said :  "  We  cannot  use  missionary 
funds  to  give  the  young  people  of  Asia  a 
purely  secular  education;  we  are  here  for 
Christ's  sake,  and  for  his  only."  The  result 
was  that  some  schools  had  to  be  closed  and 
that  the  attendance  of  others  dwindled  from 
hundreds  to  dozens.  It  looked  for  a  time  as 
if   the   end   of   mission   educational   work   in 


The  Missionary  at  Work  125 

Japan  had  come;  but  a  mighty  protest  went 
up  from  the  Christian  people  of  all  lands. 
The  public  opinion  of  Christendom,  to  which 
Japan  is  keenly  sensitive,  made  her  statesmen 
feel  that  a  backward  step  had  been  taken. 
The  order  was  not  enforced,  and  to-day  the 
mission  schools  are  fuller  than  ever  and  with 
a  tremendously  enhanced  influence,  because 
in  the  hour  of  emergency,  they  would  not  buy 
the  favor  of  the  state  at  the  cost  of  their 
faith.  The  missionary  repudiates  the  state- 
ment of  a  professor  at  home  that  "  the  uni-  /-^^ 
versity  is  not  responsible  for  the  character  of 
its  graduates."  Character  is  precisely  what 
mission  institutions  are  responsible  for,  and 
in  the  schools  and  colleges  on  the  foreign  field, 
the  Protestant  Churches  are  producing  it. 

The  hope  of  the  future  is  largely  in  these  pjlfj'jrc^e  ^°'^" 
schools.  In  many  lands,  the  missionary  en- 
counters an  opposition  from  adults  that  can 
only  be  compared  to  a  wall.  It  is  often  diffi- 
cult to  break  down  that  wall  by  direct  attack; 
for  inherited  prejudices,  social,  business,  and 
religious  associations,  and  that  fixity  of  char- 
acter which  usually  comes  with  mature  years 
in  every  land  combine  to  make  it  hard  to  in- 
duce an  adult  to  abandon  the  faith  of  his  an- 
cestors. The  mission  school  undermines  that 
wall;  for  character  is  taken  at  a  plastic  period 
and  shaped  for  the  future. 


126     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

'AluSc^NaTionf  Thc  opciiing  of  Asia  to  the  influences  of 
the  modern  world  and  the  development  of 
the  native  churches  give  special  emphasis  to 
the  question  of  higher  education.  The  need 
is  emphasized  by  the  fact  that  leading  Asiatic 
nations  are  beginning  to  appreciate  the  im- 
portance of  Western  learning  and  are  estab- 
lishing colleges  of  their  own.  Hindu,  Budd- 
hist, and  Moslem  institutions  will  not,  of  course, 
train  men  for  Christian  leadership.  The 
Churches  must  provide  the  needed  facilities  or 
see  their  young  men  go  to  schools  dominated 
by  antichristian  influences.  That  the  boards 
and  the  missions  realize  this  is  seen  in  the 
fact  that  there  are  now  on  the  foreign  field  no 
\  less  than  29,000  mission  schools,  of  which 
I  more  than  1,300  are  of  the  higher  grades,  the 
I  total  number  of  pupils  being  1,304,905. 

Another     department     of     missionary     ac- 
tivity is 

Literary  Work 

Bible  Translation  Protcstautism  belicves  that  a  knowledge  of 
the  Word  of  God  is  indispensable  to  intelli- 
gent and  permanent  faith.  Therefore  one  of 
the  duties  of  the  missionary  is  to  translate  the 
Bible  into  the  vernacular.  We  often  hear  that 
the  Bible  is  now  accessible  to  practically  all 
the  nations  of  the  earth.  It  is  true,  and  the 
missionary  is  the  one  who  has  made  it  so. 


£a 


T  J 


n  •, 


■^  -tv-f  f 


The  Missionary  at  Work  127 


Books  and  Tracts 


Bible  translation,  however,  is  not  all  of  this 
work.  Many  books  and  tracts  must  be  pre- 
pared. Most  of  the  literature  of  the  heathen 
world  is  unclean.  There  are,  indeed,  some  ex- 
cellent writings  in  the  sacred  books  of  Hin- 
duism, Buddhism,  and  Confucianism;  but  at 
their  best,  they  are  merely  ethical  and 
are  intermingled  with  a  vast  mass  of  error, 
puerility,  and  superstition.  The  books  in 
common  circulation  are  usually  saturated 
with  heathenism,  if  not  actual  immorality. 
The  missionary,  therefore,  must  create  a 
Christian  literature.  This  involves  both 
translation  and  original  composition. 

Publishing        has        to        follow        preparation.     Mission  Presses 

Many  lands  had  no  printing-presses  when  the 
missionary  arrived;  so  he  had  to  create  and 
operate  them.  He  was  among  the  first  to 
see  the  providential  significance  of  movable 
type  and  the  application  of  steam  to  the  print- 
ing-press. To-day,  160  presses  are  conducted 
by  the  Protestant  mission  boards  in  various 
parts  of  the  world,  and  they  issue  annually 
about  400,000,000  pages  of  a  Christian  liter- 
ature and  the  Word  of  God.  The  mission 
presses  in  Shanghai  are  exerting  an  enormous 
influence  on  the  thought  of  one  third  of  the 
human  race,  one  of  them  printing  over  97,- 
000,000  pages  a  year.  An  interesting  illus- 
tration of  this  occurred  when  10,000  Christian 


Far-reaching 
Effects 


Bible  Societies 


128     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

women  of  China  presented  a  copy  of  the  New 
Testament,  bound  in  silver  and  gold,  to  the 
Empress  Dowager  on  her  sixtieth  birthday. 
The  gift  excited  so  much  interest  in  the  im- 
perial palace  that  the  Emperor  purchased  a 
copy  for  his  own  use. 

That  Chinese  Bible  has  gone  into  many  a 
yamen  as  well  as  into  myriads  of  humble 
homes.  A  medical  missionary,  calling  on  the 
late  Viceroy  Li  Hung-chang,  found  him  read- 
ing a  New  Testament  printed  on  the  Shanghai 
mission  press,  and  when  a  servant  took  the 
book  away  as  the  physician  entered,  the  Vice- 
roy said:  "Do  not  put  that-  in  the  library, 
take  it  to  my  bedroom,  I  will  read  it  again." 
The  mission  press  in  Beirut,  Syria,  is  prob- 
ably doing  as  much  as  all  other  agencies  com- 
bined to  influence  the  Mohammedan  world; 
for  there  the  Bible  is  printed  in  the  language 
that  is  spoken  by  two  hundred  million  souls. 
Scriptures  and  explanatory  books  and  tracts 
go  forth  from  that  unpretentious  building, 
which  are  read  not  only  in  Syria  and  Pales- 
tine, but  in  Asia  Minor,  Arabia,  Egypt, 
Tunis,  Algeria,  Morocco,  India,  and  among 
the  Arabic  speaking  colonies  of  North  and 
South  America. 

The  Bible  Societies  give  valuable  coopera- 
tion in  this  department  of  mission  work,  pay- 
ing the  cost  of  printing  the  Scriptures,  and. 


The  Missionary  at  Work  129 

through  their  agents  and  colporteurs,  aiding 
greatly  in  distributing  them.  These  Societies 
should  therefore  be  considered  an  integral 
and  a  very  important  part  of  this  large  de- 
velopment of  missionary  effort. 

Emphasis  may  properly  be  laid  upon  liter-  pri^feVwi's^sa 
ary  work  as  a  missionary  agency.  The  peo- 
ples of  Asia  are  not  so  much  accustomed  to 
public  discourse  as  Western  races.  The 
priests  of  the  native  religions  seldom  or  never 
preach,  and  it  is  much  more  difficult  to  influ- 
ence people  in  that  way  than  it  is  in  England 
and  America.  The  Chinese^  in  particular,  are 
preeminently  a  people  of  books.  Buddhism 
converted  them,  not  by  preaching,  but  by  lit- 
erature. The  essay,  the  pamphlet,  the  pla- 
card, and  more  recently  the  newspaper,  are 
the  common  means  of  disseminating  ideas. 
Christianity  must  make  a  larger  use  of  this 
method  if  it  is  to  supersede  Buddhism  and 
Confucianism. 

The  printed   Bible   e^oes   where   the   living  wide 

.         -r      ■,      .  .  Dissemination 

voice  cannot  be  heard.  It  brmgs  its  truths  to 
men  in  the  quiet  hour.  The  force  of  its  mes- 
sage is  never  lessened  by  controversy  or  per-l 
verted  by  error.  Within  a  century,  over  200,- 
000,000  copies  of  the  Bible  have  been  printed 
in  360  different  languages.  If  every  mission- 
ary were  to  be  banished,  God's  Word  would 
remain  in  Asia,  a  mighty  and  indestructible 


>^' 


130     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

power,  operating  as  silently  as  the  sunshine, 
but  containing  within  itself  the  stupendous 
potency  of  a  world's  regeneration.  To-day, 
the  Persian  and  the  Hottentot,  the  Korean  and 
the  Siamese  are  reading  in  their  own  tongues 
that  ''  He  is  able  to  save  them  to  the  utter- 
most that  come  unto  God  by  him,"  and  we 
know  that  God's  Word  shall  not  return  unto 
him  void. 

A  phase  of  missions  that  touches  all  hearts 
is  the 

Medical  Work 

Example  of  Christ  Christ  himsclf  set  the  example  by  minister- 
ing to  the  sick.  Indeed,  he  cited  among  the 
proofs  of  his  Messiahship  that  *'  the  blind  re- 
ceive their  sight,  and  the  lame  walk,  the  lepers 
are  cleansed,  and  the  deaf  hear."  Twenty- 
four  of  his  thirty-six  recorded  miracles  were 
of  physical  healing,  and  there  must  have  been 
scores  of  others,  for  we  read  that  *'  all  they 
that  had  any  sick  ....  brought  them 
unto  him ;  and  he  laid  his  hands  on  every  one 
of  them,  and  healed  them."  So  medical  work 
is  an  essential  part  of  our  Christian  service  in 
heathen  lands.  We  cannot  "  pass  by  on  the 
other  side  "  those  countless  sufferers  or  shut 
our  ears  to  their  cries  of  agony. 

^^b?  slillrlSion  Non-christian  lands  are  lands  of  pain.  All 
the  diseases  and  injuries  common  in  America, 


The  Missionary  at  Work  131 

and  others  far  more  dreadful,  are  intensified 
by  ignorance,  filth,  and  superstition.  An 
Oriental  tour  fills  the  mind  with  ghastly 
memories  of  sightless  eyeballs,  scrofulous 
limbs,  and  festering  ulcers.  If  our  child  is 
ill,  a  physician's  understanding  of  the  case 
and  its  remedy,  the  sympathy  of  friends,  and 
the  sweet  comforts  of  the  gospel,  make  the 
sick  chamber  a  place  of  peace  and  probable 
recovery.  But  in  most  heathen  lands,  illness 
is  believed  to  be  caused  by  a  demon  that  has 
gotten  into  the  body,  and  the  treatment  is  an 
effort  to  expel  it.  Drums  are  beaten  or  horns 
blown  beside  the  sufferer,  in  the  hope  that 
they  will  frighten  away  the  demon.  Hot 
fires  are  built  to  scorch  it  out,  and  of  course 
the  fierce  heat  adds  to  the  distress  of  the  pa- 
tient. Sometimes  even  worse  methods  are 
employed.  "What  are  those  scars  which  so 
thickly  dot  the  body?"  we  asked  Dr.  Neal,  in 
China,  as  he  examined  a  wan,  pitiful  little 
girl  who  had  been  brought  in.  "  Places  where 
hot  needles  have  been  thrust  in  to  kill  the 
spirit  which  is  believed  to  have  caused  the 
pain,"  was  the  startling  reply.  ''  What  a  hor- 
rible foot!"  we  ejaculated,  as  we  looked  with 
Dr,  Avison  in  Korea  on  a  poor  fellow  who 
had  hobbled  into  our  room.  A  fall  had  made 
a  bruise.  A  native  doctor  had  told  him  that 
a  demon  had  taken  possession  of  it  and  that 


132     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

he  should  smear  it  with  oil  and  set  it  on  fire. 
Dirt  and  flies  had  aggravated  the  resultant 
sore,  till  the  whole  foot  was  literally  rotting 
away. 
^°"R"Hef  '^^^  horrors  of  superstitious  maltreatment 
of  the  sick  and  injured  are  relieved  in  many 
lands  only  by  medical  missionaries  who  walk 
through  those  regions  of  pain  in  the  name 
and  spirit  of  the  Great  Physician,  cleansing 
filthy  ulcers,  straightening  deformed  limbs, 
giving  light  to  darkened  eyes,  healing  fev- 
ered bodies,  robbing  death  of  its  sting  and 
the  grave  of  its  victory,  and  showing  to  weary 
multitudes  that 


"Thy    touch    has    still    its    ancient    power, 
No   word    from    thee   can   fruitless    fall." 


Heroic  Ministry  j^  ^\^q  Syrian  city  of  Horns  we  saw  the  sick 
flock  to  Dr.  Harris  as  of  old  they  doubtless 
flocked  to  Christ,  and  he  gave  such  relief  to 
scores  of  sufferers  that  men  who  would  have 
stoned  a  preacher  reverently  listened  to  the 
physician  while  he  talked  to  them  of  Christ. 
The  day  we  entered  Allahabad,  India,  170 
people  died  of  the  plague.  Corpses  were 
hourly  carried  through  the  streets.  Shops 
were  closed.  The  authorities,  finding  that 
preventive  measures  provoked  dangerous 
riots,  helplessly  allowed  the  pestilence  to  run 


The  Missionary  at  Work  133 

unchecked.  Half  the  population  had  fled ;  but 
the  medical  missionary  stood  heroically  at  her 
post,  freely  going  among  the  sick  and  dying, 
responding  both  by  day  and  night  to  every 
appeal  for  help,  giving  what  aid  was  possible 
in  that  swiftly  fatal  scourge,  and  telling  all 
of  the  healing  of  the  soul  in  Christ.  Few  men 
anywhere  will  touch  a  leper,  but  the  medical 
missionaries  lovingly  seek  them  in  a  score  of 
places,  mitigating  the  horrors  of  disease  for 
which  no  cure  is  known  and  faithfully  apply- 
ing the  remedy  for  the  soul's  leprosy. 

A  total  of  over  1,100  hospitals  and  dispen-  ^n^^JjP""*^" 
saries  are  being  maintained  on  the  foreign  field 
by  the  Protestant  boards  and  they  treat  yearly 
about  2,500,000  patients.  No  other  phase 
of  mission  work  has  done  more  to  soften 
hearts  and  to  open  doors,  no  other  been  more 
fruitful  in  spiritual  results.  Standing  in  one 
of  those  humble  buildings  and  watching  the 
tender  ministries  to  suffering,  one  feels  sure 
that  God  loves  the  place,  and  he  rejoices  that 
in  Asia  as  well  as  in  America,  men  can  say: 

"The  healing  of  the  seamless  dress 

Is  by  our  bed  of  pain ; 
We  touch  him  in  life's  throng  and  press, 

And  we  are  whole  again." 

An   unqualified   statement   that   the   fourth  wofk'^'"^''^ 
department  of  missionary  activity  is  Evangelistic 


134     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

Evangelistic   Work 

might  give  a  wrong  impression,  for  all  forms 
of  work  are  supposed  to  be  evangelistic  in 
spirit  and  in  aim.  Educational  work  is  de- 
signed to  reach  the  children  for  Christ  and 
to  train  men  for  the  ministry  and 
other  forms  of  Christian  work.  Literary 
work  prepares  and  publishes  the  Bible  and  a 
helpful  literature,  that  all  may  know  the  gos- 
pel by  the  printed  page  as  well  as  by  the 
spoken  word.  Medical  work  is  intended  not 
only  to  relieve  suffering,  but  to  do  it  in  Christ's 
name  and  in  such  ways  that  the  patients  will 
accept  Christ.  There  remains,  however,  much 
work  that  is  distinctively  evangelistic.  Its 
magnitude  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that 
there  are  now  no  less  than  ii,ooo  organized 
churches  and  a  large  number  of  unorganized 
congregations,  with  1,816,450  adult  commun- 
icants and  4,351,138  adherents,  of  whom 
1,272,383  are  enrolled  inquirers, 
^'^uhi^er'iuont  The  dircct  preaching  of  the  gospel  natur- 
ally has  a  prominent  place.  There  is  an  in- 
creasing number  of  churches  in  which  there 
are  stated  sermons;  but  the  main  evangelistic 
work  is  done  in  less  pretentious,  though  not 
less  effective  w^ays.  The  message  is  pro- 
claimed in  humble  street  chapels,  in  crowded 
r.      bazaars,   in  seckided  zenanas,   from  house  to 


The  Missionary  at  Work  135 

house,  and  on  long  country  tours.  The  itin- 
erations often  occupy  several  months  and  in- 
clude the  visitation  of  hundreds  of  villages. 
All  sorts  of  conveyances  are  used.  Elephants, 
camels,  horses,  mules,  donkeys,  canoes, 
launches,  schooners,  house-boats,  wheelbar- 
rows, jinrikishas,  bandy-carts,  bicycles,  and 
railroad  trains,  all  serve  the  missionary's  pur- 
pose as  occasion  offers,  while  not  infrequently 
he  travels  on  foot. 

There  are  no  bounds  to  the  zeal  of  the  iti-  zealous  Toil 
nerant  missionary.  A  toilsome  journey  on 
elephants  through  the  jungles  of  Laos  brought 
us  to  Saturday  night  with  the  weary  ejacula- 
tion: ''Now  we  can  have  a  day  of  rest!" 
The  next  morning  we  slept  late;  but  the  mis- 
sionaries did  not,  for  they  spent  an  hour  be- 
fore breakfast  in  a  neighboring  village,  dis- 
tributing tracts  and  inviting  the  people  to 
come  to  a  service  at  our  camp  at  ten  o'clock. 
It  was  an  impressive  service — under  a  spread- 
ing ho  tree,  with  the  mighty  forest  about  us, 
monkeys  curiously  peering  through  the 
tangled  vines,  the  huge  elephants  browsing  on 
the  bamboo  tips  behind  us,  and  the  wonder- 
ing people  sitting  on  the  ground,  while  one 
of  the  missionaries  told  the  deathless  story  of 
redeeming  love.  The  other  missionary.  Dr. 
Daniel  McGilvary,  was  not  present.  Seventy- 
four  years  old  though  he  was,  he  had  walked 


136     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

three  miles  under  a  scorching  sun  to  another 
village,  and  was  preaching  there.  And  we 
said :  *'If  that  is  the  way  the  missionaries 
rest,  what  do  they  do  when  they  work?" 
Splendid  Fidelity  This  is  but  a  Sample  of  the  evangelistic 
fidelity  that  we  saw  everywhere.  Missionaries 
whose  immediate  assignments  are  to  medical 
or  educational  work  take  their  turns  in  coun- 
try touring.  A  physician  in  Africa  never  did 
a  better  thing  for  Christ  than  on  a  trip  of 
which  he  wrote: 
A  Recruu^ng  «'  J  retumed  last  week  from  a  tour  of  sev- 
enteen days  through  the  Utum  country.  The 
wet  season  was  at  its  worst.  All  the  rivers 
were  flooded  and  the  swamps  were  terrible  to 
get  through.  Almost  every  day,  I  waded  in 
water  waist  deep,  sometimes  for  hours  at  a 
time.  Much  of  my  trip  was  through  a  country 
from  which  we  had  never  been  able  to  get 
any  schoolboys,  as  the  people  were  afraid  to 
let  them  go  so  far  from  home  and  with  white 
men  of  whom  they  knew  but  little.  I  went 
with  the  determination  not  only  to  preach  the 
gospel,  but  to  bring  back  with  me  some  boys 
for  our  school.  I  knew  if  I  could  get  a  few 
for  a  start,  we  would  get  plenty  in  years  to 
come.  The  Lord  answered  my  prayers,  and 
when  we  marched  back  through  streams  and 
forests,  about  seventy  prospective  pupils  went 
with    me.      That    long    line    of    children,    so 


The  Missionary  at  Work  137 

ignorant  and  needy,  some  footsore  and  weary, 
marching  away  from  their  homes  of  darkness 
and  sin  towards  the  Hght  of  the  dear  Savior 
who  died  for  them,  was  a  sight  which  would 
move  a  heart  of  stone.  Sometimes  a  mother 
in  parting  from  her  child  would  follow  along 
for  miles  and  then  take  me  by  the  hands,  and 
with  tears  rolling  down  her  cheeks,  say: 
'  Doctor,  that  is  my  only  child,  you  will  take 
good  care  of  him,  won't  you?'  Human  nature 
is  very  much  the  same  here  as  elsewhere." 

Claims  of  Other   Work 

Reform  movements  in  a  community  natur-  MiJJements 
ally  grow  out  of  spiritual  work,  but  there  is  a 
difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  missionary's 
direct  relation  to  them.  Some  urge  that  the 
missionary  should  not  concern  himself  at  all 
with  such  movements,  his  efforts  being  to  instil 
in  the  minds  of  men  the  formative  principles 
of  the  Christian  religion  and  then  leave  these 
to  work  their  legitimate  results  through  saved 
men. 

Others,  however,  insist  that  the  missionary  PrtcutlTSoliei^ 
cannot  be  indifferent  to  the  practical  applica- 
tion of  the  gospel  to  human  society;  that 
when  orphans  in  India  are  starving,  his  ef- 
forts should  include  bread  as  well  as  exhor- 
tations; that  when   opium-smoking  in   China 


138     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

is  an  effectual  bar  to  the  entrance  of  the  gos- 
pel, the  missionary  should  ally  himself  with 
the  effort  to  remove  that  bar;  and  that  where 
the  blind,  the  insane,  the  deaf  and  dumb  are 
entirely  neglected,  the  missionary  who  passes 
"  by  on  the  other  side "  exposes  himself  to 
the  indignant  censure  which  Christ  visited 
upon  the  heartless,  hypocritical  priest  and 
Levite. 

Its  Cure  of  Many  t.  .  it      1     jt  i-    ^ 

Evils  it  seems  to  us  that  the  mediate  course  is 
the  proper  one.  The  gospel  was  intended  to 
save  men  both  for  this  life  and  for  the  life 
to  come,  and  when  a  missionary  goes  among 
people  who  are  wholly  ignorant  of  the  bear- 
ings of  the  gospel  upon  human  life,  it  is  surely 
within  his  province  to  show  them  how  to  live 
in  time  as  well  as  eternity.  This,  as  a  matter 
of  fact,  is  what  the  missionaries  are  doing. 
It  is  no  small  evidence  of  the  value  of  mission 
work  that  missionaries  have  founded  and  are 
maintaining  333  asylums  of  various  kinds  for 
the  afflicted  and  dependent  classes.  Though 
reform  movements  are  results  rather  than  ob- 
jects of  the  missionary  enterprise,  they  are 
nevertheless  of  value.  Missionaries  have  done 
more  than  all  others  combined  to  lessen  the 
evils  of  slavery,  infanticide,  intemperance, 
concubinage,  opium-smoking,  the  degradation 
of  woman,  and  kindred  evils. 


/ 


The  Missionary  at  Work  139 

A  signal  instance  of  the  usefulness  of  the  Ab^iulTe^din 
missionary  in  matters  of  reform  occurred  in  ^'^"^ 
Siam.  Gambling  is  the  national  vice.  It  was 
licensed  and  even  encouraged  by  the  govern- 
ment. The  demoralizing  consequences  can  be 
readily  understood.  This  vice  w^as  vigorously 
combatted  by  the  missionaries,  led  by  the 
Rev.  Eugene  P.  Dunlap  and  powerfully  rein- 
forced by  the  Hon.  Hamilton  King,  the  Am- 
erican Minister.  They  frankly  represented  to 
the  King  that  gambling  was  inimical  to  the 
best  interests  of  Siam  and  that  the  money 
that  the  government  derived  from  it  was  ob- 
tained at  a  ruinous  cost  to  character  and  legit- 
imate industry.  The  King  listened,  and  the 
result  was  the  issuance  of  a  royal  decree,  Jan- 
uary, 1905,  ordering  the  abolition  of  these 
gambling  concessions  by  April,  1907. 

Another  illustration  occurred  in  Shansrhai,   J?'"^^*':^  ^°  ^^* 

o         '     Fallen  in  Chini 

China,  where  there  are  about  20,000  Chinese 
prostitutes.  Distressed  by  their  pitiful  lot, 
Mrs.  George  F.  Fitch  opened  a  rescue  home 
to  which  the  slave  girls  could  flee  for  refuge. 
The  home  has  attracted  wide  attention  and 
it  witnesses  powerfully  for  Christ.  A  high 
official  visited  it  one  day  with  his  wife,  and 
as  he  noted  the  sweet  ministries  to  the  fallen, 
he  marveled  and  said  to  his  wife :  "  Nobody 
but  Jesus'  people  would  do  this."  That  sen- 
tence  vividly    expresses   the    world-wide   dif- 


140     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

ference  between  the  Christian  and  the  non- 
christian.  It  is  at  once  an  indictment  of  Con- 
fucianism and  a  justification  of  missions. 
,_^  "Nobody  but  Jesus'  people"  are  doing  these 
things. 

Time  Required  j^  jg  apparent  from  all  that  has  been  said 
that  the  working  out  of  so  vast  a  movement 
as  the  missionary  enterprise  will  require  time. 
This  is  not  a  crusade  whose  object  is  to  be  at- 
tained by  a  magnificent  spurt.  Error  and 
superstition  are  interwoven  with  the  whole 
social  and  political  fabric  of  the  non-christian 
world  and  they  are  not  to  be  overturned  in  a 
day.  ''  We  are,"  observes  Benjamin  Kidd, 
"  in  the  midst  of  habits  and  institutions  from 
which  our  civilization  is  separated  by  a  long 
interval  of  development,  where  progress  up- 
ward must  be  a  long,  slow  process,  must  pro- 
ceed on  native  lines,  and  must  be  the  efifect  of 
the  example  and  prestige  of  higher  standards 
rather  than  the  result  of  ruder  methods." 

Long  Process  in  Most  gfreat  recoustructious  of  society  have 
come  slowly,  and  religious  transformations 
have  been  no  exception.  Christianity  was 
three  hundred  years  in  conquering  Rome,  and 
even  then  the  Roman  world  was  far  from  com- 
plete conversion.  The  gospel  has  been  oper- 
ating on  the  peoples  of  northern  Europe  and 
their  descendants  for  more  than  a  thousand 
years,  and  no  Christian  feels  that  the  work 


The  Missionary  at  Work  141 

is  done.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  other  peoples 
will  not  take  as  much  time  as  we  took;  but 
we  cannot  reasonably  expect  that  a  few  de- 
cades will  suffice. 

Moreover,  we  must  count  now  on  more  opposuro'n  but 
strenuous  opposition  from  the  non-christian  certain  victory 
religions.  At  first,  they  were  contemptuously 
indifferent  to  the  missionaries.  But  as  the 
priests  see  more  clearly  what  radical  changes 
Christianity  involves,  that  it  is  "  turning  the 
world  upside  down,"  contempt  and  indiffer- 
ence are  giving  place  to  alarm.  The  ethnic 
faiths  are  therefore  setting  themselves  in  bat- 
tle array.  It  would  be  foolish  to  ignore  their 
power,  foolish  to  imagine  that  we  are  seeing 
the  last  of  Buddhism  in  Japan  and  Siam,  of 
Confucianism  in  China,  of  Hinduism  in 
India,  and  of  Mohammedanism  in  Turkey. 
Heathenism  will  die  hard.  The  world,  the 
flesh,  and  the  devil  are  in  Asia  as  well  as  in 
America,  and  are  fighting  more  fiercely.  It 
is  no  holiday  task  to  which  we  have  set  our- 
selves. It  is  a  gigantic  struggle  in  which  there 
are  against  us  "  the  principalities,  the  powers, 
the  world  rulers  of  this  darkness."  Need  have 
we  of  patience,  of  determination,  of  "  the 
strength  of  his  might  "  and  *'  the  whole  ar- 
mor of  God."  We  must  sternly  face  our  task 
in  the  spirit  of  the  man  of  whom  Browning  , 

said :     He 


142     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

"...  never    turned    his    back    but    marched 

breast- forward ; 

Never  doubted  clouds  would  break ; 
Never    dreamed,    though    right    were    worsted, 

wrong  would  triumph; 
Held  we  fall  to  rise,  are  baffled  to  fight  better, 

Sleep  to  wake." 

The  issue  is  not  doubtful,  for,  *'If  God  is  for  us, 
who  is  against  us?" 

QUESTIONS  ON  CHAPTER  V 

Aim  :  To  Realize  the  Variety  and  Value  of  the 
Work  Included  in  the  Foreign  Missionary 
Enterprise 

1.  Write  out  all  the  forms  of  work  engaged  in  by 
missionaries  mentioned  in  the  chapter  and  sug- 
gested to  you  by  reflection. 

2.  How  many  of  these  are  ordinarily  engaged  in 
by  ministers  at  home? 

3.  How  does  the  task  of  the  missionary  as  a  whole 
compare  in  magnitude  and  difficulty  with  that 
of  the  average  minister  at  home? 

4.  In  the  light  of  the  work  needed,  reconsider 
your  opinion  on  the  subject  of  the  most  de- 
sirable qualifications  for  a  missionary. 

5.  Reconsider  your  opinion  as  to  the  way  in  which 
missionary  training  should  differ  from  that 
of  the  minister  at  home. 

6.  Need  a  missionary  be  qualified  along  all  these 
lines  in  order  to  be  useful? 

7.  In  preparing  to  teach  a  class  of  heathen 
children,  what  things  ought  a  missionary  to 
try  to  find  out  about  their  home  life?     Why? 


The  Missionary  at  Work  143 

8.  What,  about  their  personal  ideas  and  attitudes  ? 

9.  What,  about  any  past  instruction  they  may  have 
received  ? 

ID.  What  would  it  be  desirable  to  know  about  the 
local  surroundings  and  society? 

11.  In  what  way  should  the  curriculum  in  a  mis- 
sionary school  differ  from  that  of  schools 
of  the  same  grade  in  this  country? 

12.  What  are  some  of  the  difficulties  that  a  mis- 
sionary teacher  must  expect  to  encounter? 

13.  What  should  be  his  principal  educational  aims? 

14.  In  view  of  the  aim  of  missionary  work,  why 
is  it  so  important  for  the  missionary  to  es- 
tablish elementary  schools? 

15.  Why  are  higher  schools  necessary? 

16.  What  are  the  advantages  of  boarding-schools 
over  day-schools? 

17.  What  things  besides  the  language  ought  a  mis- 
sionary to  know  in  order  to  be  a  successful 
translator? 

18.  What  advantages  has  the  literary  over  any 
other  of  the  forms  of  work? 

19.  What  various  kinds  of  literature  ought  to  be 
distributed  in  order  to  build  up  a  strong  native 
Church? 

20.  What  are  the  special  advantages  of  medical 
work  as   a  missionary  agency? 

21.  What  measures  would  you  take  to  secure  the 
greatest  evangelistic  efficiency  in  a  dispensary 
and  hospital? 

22.  In  what  ways  should  missionary  addresses 
differ  from  sermons  in  this  country? 

23.  What  things  ought  the  missionary  to  study 
in  preparing  his  addresses? 


144     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

24.  Why  is  it  important  for  him  to  be  well  ac- 
quainted  with    local   customs? 

25.  What  special  advantages  has  the  evangelistic 
missionary  over  those  engaged  in  other  forms 

of  WGl»k? 

26.  Wlhich  of  these  four  forms  of  work  does  most 
on  the  whole  to  build  up  the  native  Church? 
Give    several    reasons    for    your    opinion. 

27.  In  what  ways  is  each  of  these  forms  a  necessa- 
ry supplement  to  the  other  three? 

28.  Has   Christianity  a   message  only   for  the   in- 

dividual, or  for  society  as  well? 

29.  Have  Christians  in  this  country  any  duty  to 
society    except    to    evangelize    it? 

30.  What  should  be  the  attitude  of  the  mission- 
ary toward  non-christian  society  as  a  whole? 

31.  What  reasons  have  we  for  believing  that  the 
progress  of  Christianity  on  the  foreign  field 
will   be   more   rapid   than   it   was    in   Europe? 

32.  Sum  up  the  principal  needs  of  the  work  on 
the  field. 

References  for  Advanced  Study. — Chapter  V 
I.     Educational  Work. 

De    Forest:    Sunrise    in    the    Sunrise    Kingdom, 

118-131. 

Naylor:  Daybreak  in  the  Dark  Continent,  156-159. 

Soothill :  A  Typical  Mission  in  China,  XH. 

Thoburn:  The  Christian  Conquest  of  India,  173- 

178. 

II.     Literary  Work. 

De    Forest:    Sunrise    in    the    Sunrise    Kingdom, 
142-150. 


The   Missionary   at   Work  145 

Ecumenical  Missionary  Conference,  XXVI. 
Soothill:    A    Typical    Mission    in    China,    XIII. 
Thoburn:  The  Christian  Conquest  of  India,  179- 
182. 

III.  Medical   Work. 

De    Forest:    Sunrise    in    the    Sunrise    Kingdom, 

131-134- 

Naylor:   Daybreak   in   the   Dark   Continent,    151, 

152. 

Soothill:   A  Typical  Mission  in   China,   III. 

Noble:  The  Redemption  of  Africa,  551-561. 

IV.  Evangelistic  Work. 

De    Forest:    Sunrise    in    the    Sunrise    Kingdom, 

114-118. 

Gibson:  Mission  Problems  and  Mission  Methods 

in  South  China,  VI. 

Jack :    Daybreak    in    Livingstonia,    VIII,    XVIII. 

Naylor:  Daybreak  in  the  Dark  Continent,  152-154, 

Thoburn:  The  Christian  Conquest  of  India,  168- 

173. 
V.    Industrial  Work. 

Naylor:  Daybreak  in  the  Dark  Continent,  154-156. 
Ecumenical  Missionary  Conference,  XXIX. 
Noble:   The  Redemption  of  Africa,  562-578. 
Stewart:  Dawn  in  the  Dark  Continent,   178-196. 


THE  NATIVE  CHURCH 


M7 


As  to  mission  Church  administration,  for  the 
sake  of  the  future  of  the  Church  the  missionary  should 
train  the  churches  with  a  view  to  speedy  self-govern- 
ment and  self-propagation.  Some  missionaries  pos- 
sessed of  a  strong  individuality  assume  in  themselves 
all  the  functions  of  the  executive;  they  are  in  them- 
selves bishop,  priest,  deacon,  and  elder;  with  their 
strong  personality  and  fulness  of  energy  they  have  not 
the  patience  to  bend  to  the  drudgery  of  training  na- 
tives; therefore  they  take  all  of  the  responsibility  upon 
themselves.  But  this  only  means  disaster  in  the  future, 
for  w^hen  the  strong  man  leaves  the  field,  his  work 
falls  to  pieces.  For  the  sake  of  the  Church  and  for 
the  future  of  the  Church  we  must  subordinate  self 
and  selfish  tendencies  and  bend  our  energies  to  get 
the  best  we  can  out  of  the  native  Christians. 

— Frederick  Galpin 

The  use  of  mission  funds  should  be  limited  to  the 
support  of  missionaries,  the  issue  of  literature, 
the  founding  of  schools  and  hospitals  and  their  support, 
and  some  help  in  the  erection  of  church  buildings. 
Converts  should  from  the  first  be  instructed  in  the 
necessity  of  sharing  the  burdens  of  Church  work. 
The  self-support  of  native  churches  should  be  facili- 
tated by  simplicity  of  organization,  to  the  extent  even, 
if  necessary,  of  delaying  for  a  time  the  full  develop- 
ment of  the  pastorate. 

— George  B.  Winton 


148 


VI 
THE  NATIVE  CHURCH 

THE  development  of  a  native  Church  ^nTAdhl'itnit 
is  one  of  the  most  encouraging  results 
of  foreign  missionary  effort.  The  number 
of  adult  communicants  on  the  foreign  field 
is  now  1,816,450.  There  are,  besides, 
1,272,383  adults  who,  having  professed  their 
faith  in  Christ,  have  been  enrolled  as  catechu- 
mens and  inquirers  and  are  under  special  in- 
struction with  a  view  to  full  membership  in 
the  near  future,  while  adherents  number  4,351,- 
138.  The  word  "adherent"  has  a  more  defi- 
nite meaning  on  the  foreign  field  than  at  home, 
for  it  usually  signifies  that  a  member  of  a 
non-christian  community  has  publicly  separated 
himself,  in  name  and  position  at  least,  from  the 
religion  of  his  country,  and  though  not  yet 
ready,  in  the  judgment  of  the  missionaries, 
to  be  baptized,  he  attends  the  church,  and  is 
willing  to  be  known  by  his  neighbors  as  a 
Christian. 

This    already    considerable    native    Church  S,"^^^^°"^°^ 

•^  Mission  Policy 

is  growing  at  the  rate  of  nearly  150,000  com- 
municants a  year.  The  development  of  such  a 
Church  naturally  brings  into  prominence  cer- 


150     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

tain  questions  of  mission  policy.  We  have  al- 
ready seen  that  the  aim  of  the  missionary  en- 
terprise includes  the  development  of  an  in- 
digenous native  Church.  To  this  end,  the 
native  Church  must  be  trained  to  self-propa- 
gation, self-support,  and  self-government. 

seif.propagation  Sclf -propagation  is  insisted  upon  as  soon  as 
converts  appear.  They  are  taught  from  the 
beginning  that  as  soon  as  they  become  Christ- 
ians, the  missionary  motive  should  become 
operative  within  them,  and  that  they  are  un- 
der precisely  the  same  obligation  as  Chris- 
tians in  Europe  and  America  to  give  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  to  others. 

Christ  and  PaSi  This  was  the  way  Christ  himself  worked 
during  his  earthly  ministry.  He  preached 
both  to  individuals  and  to  multitudes  wher- 
ever and  whenever  he  had  opportunity;  but 
one  of  his  chief  efforts  was  to  train  up  a  band 
of  disciples  to  perpetuate  and  extend  the  work 
after  his  departure.  Paul  also  worked  in  this 
v/ay.  He  would  go  to  a  city,  preach  the  gos- 
pel, gather  a  band  of  disciples,  organize  them 
into  a  church,  remain  long  enough  to  get 
them  fairly  started,  and  then  go  elsewhere. 

^^"Mky^Takf  Tlic  modcm  missionary  will  have  to  remain 
a  good  deal  longer  than  Paul  did,  for  he  does 
not  find  such  prepared  conditions  as  the  great 
apostle  found  in  the  Jews  of  the  dispersion. 
A  land  may  be  evangelized  in  a  generation, 
but  the  Christianizing  of  it  may  be  the  toil- 


Centuries 


The  Native  Church  151 

some  process  of  centuries.  Moreover,  when 
the  object  has  been  attained  in  one  country, 
the  responsibihty  of  the  missionary  and  of 
the  home  Church  will  not  cease,  but  simply  be 
transferred  to  other  populations.  It  is  a  long 
campaign  upon  which  we  have  entered,  but 
we  should  resolutely  keep  our  purpose  in 
mind. 

This  is  not  only  wise  in  itself  from  the  view-  r'^?/i!fl^5!*° 

J  Cnnstiamze 

point  of  the  success  and  permanence  of  the  Missionaries 
work,  but  it  is  absolutely  necessary  from  the  ^^^^"^ 
view-point  of  the  men  and  money  that  are 
available.  It  is  impossible  for  the  Churches  of 
Europe  and  America  to  send  out  and  main- 
tain enough  missionaries  to  preach  the  gos- 
pel effectively  to  all  of  the  thousand  millions 
of  the  unevangelized  world.  To  attempt  this 
would  be  as  foolish  as  it  would  be  for  a  gov- 
ernment to  make  an  army  out  of  major-gen- 
erals, while  making  no  provision  for  subalt- 
erns, non-commissioned  officers,  and  privates. 

Appeals  to  flood  the  foreign  field  with  mis-  workeVs'Must 
sionaries  ignore  the  part  that  the  native  M^a^s^'s^.s^^ 
Church  is  to  play  in  its  evangelization.  They 
apparently  assume  that  the^  native  Christians 
have  no  responsibility  for  making  Christ 
known  to  their  countrymen,  or  that  they  will 
not  discharge  it,  and  that  the  entire  burden 
of  evangelizing  rests  so  exclusively  upon  for- 
eigners  that  the   people   will   never   hear   the 


152     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

gospel  unless  great  numbers  of  white  men 
are  sent  to  preach  it.  Such  an  assumption 
is  fundamentally  wrong.  The  native  worker 
is  better  for  this  direct  evangelism  anyway. 
He  can  live  more  economically  than  a  for- 
eigner, and  he  has  a  knowledge  of  native 
idioms  and  ways  of  thinking  and  manners  and 
customs  that  no  foreigner  can  ever  obtain. 
Moreover,  there  is  no  gulf  of  race  between 
him  and  his  countrymen.  There  is  much 
about  the  Asiatic  and  the  African  that  will 
ever  remain  inscrutable  to  the  American  and 
the  European.  The  former,  in  particular,  is 
apt  to  be  secretive  and  to  make  his  outward 
manner  a  mask  behind  which  there  may  be 
thoughts  wholly  unsuspected  to  a  foreigner. 
But  the  native  helper  is  able  to  get  behind  that 
mask,  and  just  because  he  is  a  native  and  prob- 
ably one  of  superior  force  of  character,  the 
people  will  be  more  influenced  by  him  than 
by  the  missionary. 
NowMTdlbJ  Most  converts  are  now  made  by  native 
Native  Helpers  helpers.  Dr.  John  Ross  of  Manchuria,  in 
reporting  1,200  conversions  to  one  of  the 
Shanghai  Conferences,  said  that  "  the  first 
principles  of  Christian  instruction  were  im- 
planted almost  invariably  by  the  natives,"  and 
that  he  could  not  "  trace  more  than  four  and 
twenty  who  were  directly  the  converts  of  the 
foreign  missionaries."     Others  at  the  confer- 


/ 


The  Native  Church  153 

ence  declared  that  five  hundred  native  evange- 
Hsts  would  be  a  far  greater  power  in  China 
than  live  thousand  foreigners.  The  chief  work 
of  direct  evangelization  in  Korea  is  now  being 
done  by  the  Korean  Christians  themselves, 
and  the  result  is  an  almost  continuous  in- 
gathering. 

This  is  not  meant  to  minimize  the  need  of  Re'fnforcements 
reinforcements.  The  present  force  is  far  too  ^^'^^  Needed 
small  for  effective  superintendence  in  many 
fields.  The  home  Church  should  not  relax  its 
efforts  to  provide  a  more  adequate  supply  of 
foreign  workers ;  but  while  it  is  doing  this,  the 
missions  should  give  more  persistent  effort  to 
the  development  of  a  native  agency. 

VVe  are  not  unmindful  of  the  practical  diffi-  Requi?e"in  using 
culties  that  beset  this  problem.  In  hardly  any  """''"^  '^^"''''^ 
other  part  of  the  mission  work  is  there  so 
much  need  of  prudence.  Hundreds  of  natives 
want  employment  who  are  quite  unfit  for  it. 
Nor  is  every  one  who  is  willing  to  work  with- 
out pay  qualified  for  ef^cient  service.  But 
these  difificulties,  and  others  that  might  be 
mentioned,  can  be  overcome.  The  more  suc- 
cessful the  work,  the  more  essential  it  is  to 
develop  the  native  ministry  that  is  indispen- 
sable to  conserve  the  evangelistic  results  al- 
ready attained  and  which  we  hope  to  attain 
in  yet  larger  measure  in  the  future.  The  work 
will    not    be    self-supporting    in    any    proper 


154     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

sense,  but  on  the  contrary  will  become  ruin- 
ously expensive  if  a  large  part  of  it  must  con- 
tinue to  be  performed  by  foreign  missionaries 
instead  of  by  a  native  ministry  supported  by 
the  people. 

Native  Self-       Xhc  native  Church  should  be  led  to  self- 
support  Also 

Desirable   support   as   wcll   as   sclf -propagation.      Here, 

also,  the  difficulties  are  formidable.  The  mis- 
sionary goes  to  the  heathen  representing  not 
only  a  superior,  but  a  more  expensive  type  of 
-^  civilization.  His  scale  of  living,  v^hile  mod- 
erate from  our  view-point,  appears  to  them 
princely.  Centuries  of  abject  poverty  and  of 
despotic  government  have  predisposed  most 
Orientals  to  accept  with  eagerness  whatever 
is  given  them.  Accustomed  to  living,  or 
rather  half-starving,  on  an  income  of  from 
thirty  to  one  hundred  dollars  a  year,  the  na- 
tive regards  the  missionary  on  a  salary  of 
$i,ooo  not  only  as  an  individual  of  wealth, 
but  as  the  representative  of  untold  riches  in 
the  homeland.  He  is  therefore  tempted  to  go 
to  him  for  the  sake  of  the  loaves  and  fishes, 
and  this  temptation  is  enormously  strength- 
ened if  he  gets  the  impression  that  the  mis- 
sionary may  employ  him  as  a  helper,  or  that 
some  individual  or  society  in  America  may 
support  him. 
ute^MSSejF°ree*iy  '^hc  missiouary,  iu  turn,  is  tempted  to  the 
free  use  of  money  by  the  wretchedness  of  the 


The  Native  Church  155 

people  and  by  the  prospect  of  the  visible  re- 
sults which  may  be  temporarily  secured  by  a 
liberal  financial  policy.  Would-be  converts 
flock  to  him  in  such  circumstances;  many 
helpers  can  be  hired  to  apparent  advantage, 
and  buildings  can  be  cheaply  rented  and  fur- 
nished. But  if  he  yields  to  the  temptation, 
"  he  puts  himself  and  the  young  Church  in  a 
false  relation  at  the  outset.  It  is  better  to 
teach  the  converts  to  make  their  own  arrange- 
ments, the  missionary  guiding  by  advice  from 
his  larger  experience  of  their  probable  require- 
ments, and  only  in  the  last  resort  giving  pe- 
cuniary help."^ 

This  policy  is  not  always  agreeable  to  the  Miss^ionlry*^^  ^^^ 
native  helper.  As  an  employee  of  the  mis-  "pp°''* 
sion,  he  had  the  power  of  that  body  behind 
him  and  was  virtually  independent  of  his  peo- 
ple; now  he  is  more  subject  to  their  caprice. 
His  support,  too,  becomes  more  uncertain; 
for  the  natives  are  not  such  prompt  paymas- 
ters as  mission  treasurers,  nor  can  they  al- 
ways pay  adequate  salaries. 

On  this  point  we  must  be  increasing-ly  firm.   ^°"^^^"'°"  M"«* 

^  ^  -^  Not  Guarantee 

Leading  an   able-bodied   man   to   Christ  does   support 
not    involve    responsibility    for    his    temporal 
support.     He  made  his  living  before  his  con- 
version; why  should  he  not  do  so  after  it? 

"^^1  Gibson,  Mission  Problems  and  Mission  Methods  in  South 
China,  193. 


156     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

Persecution  may  hinder  him  for  a  time;  but 
better  far  that  he  should  suffer  a  Httle  than 
that  he  should  be  pauperized  at  the  outset. 
Christianity  does  not  unnerve  a  man.  It  in- 
creases his  ability  to  fight  the  battles  of  life. 
No  native  should  be  allowed  to  get  the  im- 
pression that  if  he  becomes  a  Christian,  he 
will  be  given  a  job  and  a  salary,  even  though 
the  job  be  so  sacred  a  one  as  preaching  the 
gospel. 

^^o'chii-rcteJ  ^"^  ^^^^^y  ^^  ^^  ^^^^^  Christianity  in  Asia, 
not  to  carry  it,  to  give  the  gospel,  to  found 
its  institutions,  to  aid  them  so  far  as  necessary 
in  their  infancy,  but  to  insist  that  as  soon  as 
practicable  they  shall  stand  upon  their  own 
feet.  We  must  be  patient  and  reasonable; 
for  now,  as  of  old,  it  is  the  common  people 
who  hear  Christ  gladly,  and  in  Asia  the  com- 
mon people  are  pitifully  poor.  We  must  not 
withdraw  aid  so  rapidly  as  to  injure  the  work. 
But  the  spirit  of  self-help  is  as  vital  to  char- 
acter abroad  as  it  is  at  home.  Strength  comes 
with  independence,  and  we  must  not  devital- 
ize the  Christians  of  Asia  by  indiscriminate 
and  unnecessary  charity. 

Native  Money  for  _,,  .  -  1       •■•         -  r    r 

Native  Workers  Thcrc  IS  of  coursc  a  Icgitmiate  use  of  for- 
eign money  in  the  earlier  stages  of  the  work. 
Infancy  must  be  helped.  The  boards  should 
make  such  appropriations  as  an  equitable  dis- 
tribution of  funds  will  permit  for  the  employ- 


the  Goal 


The  Native  Church  157 

merit  of  native  evangelists  and  helpers;  but 
the  number  should  be  limited  to  real  needs 
and  the  salary  should  be  only  that  which  will 
enable  them  to  live  near  the  plane  of  their 
countrymen,  while  they  should  be  made  to  un- 
derstand clearly  that  this  pecuniary  arrange- 
ment is  temporary.  We  must  insist,  in  season 
and  out  of  season,  line  upon  line  and  precept 
upon  precept,  that  while  the  missionary,  being 
a  foreigner,  will  be  maintained  by  the  people  of 
America,  the  native  pastors  must  not  look  to 
the  boards,  but  to  their  own  people,  for  their 
permanent  support.  It  will  take  a  long  time 
to  reach  it,  but  the  ideal  should  be  foreign 
money  for  foreign  missionaries  and  native 
money  for  native  workers. 

We  should  resist  the  temptation  to  an  arti-  sli^-suppoJJi^ng'^ 
ficial  growth  which  the  free  use  of  money  can 
beget.  A  Church  developed  by  foreign  money 
is  built  on  quicksand.  One  self-reliant  church 
is  worth  more  to  the  cause  of  Christ  than  a 
dozen  dependent  ones.  There  must,  of  course, 
be  due  regard  to  local  conditions.  Neither 
the  missions  nor  the  boards  should  violently 
revolutionize  in  fields  where  the  opposite  pol- 
icy has  been  long  pursued.  Self-support  can- 
not be  attained  by  immediately  discharging 
all  native  helpers,  or  by  so  reducing  the  work 
that  nothing  will  be  left  to  support.  Change 
must  be  gradual;   but  no   land   will   ever  be 


Church 


158     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

evangelized  until  it  has  a  self-supporting  na- 
tive Church.     Let  us  work  and  give  and  pray 
for  this  essential  aim  of  missionary  effort. 
Risk  in  Educating       jj-^  ^j^jg  counection,  it  mav  be  well  to  state 

Natives  in  this  ^  _  '  -^ 

Country  that  frieuds  in  the  homeland  should  observe 
greater  caution  in  responding  to  the  appeals 
of  the  Orientals  who  are  flocking  to  England 
and  America  in  increasing  numbers.  We  do 
not  refer  to  those  who  have  availed  themselves 
of  the  facilities  afforded  by  the  mission 
schools  in  their  native  land  and  who  have 
come  here  for  the  purpose  of  taking  further 
studies  with  a  view  to  supporting  themselves 
afterwards.  Some  of  these  men  should  be 
encouraged.  But  if  financial  assistance  is 
needed,  it  should  be  given  as  tuition  is  gener- 
ally given  to  students  in  our  home  colleges, 
and  never  from  missionary  funds;  nor  should 
any  one  imagine  that  he  is  doing  the  mission- 
ary cause  a  service  by  aiding  an  Oriental  to 
''return  and  preach  the  gospel  to  his  own 
people."  The  opinion  of  boards  and  mission- 
aries is  emphatic,  that,  with  very  rare  excep- 
tions, chiefly  among  the  Chinese  and  Japan- 
ese, Orientals  that  have  been  trained  abroad 
are  not  so  helpful  as  many  in  the  homeland 
imagine.  The  dif^culties  involved  are  often 
independent  of  the  question  of  personal  char- 
acter. Experience  has  shown  that  native  con- 
verts can  be  most  economically  and  effectively 


The  Native  Church  159 

trained  for  Christian  work  in  their  own  coun- 
try, in  the  institutions  which  are  now  in  op- 
eration in  ahnost  every  mission  field,  and 
which  have  been  founded  at  considerable  ex- 
pense chiefly  for  this  purpose.  A  sojourn  in 
America  usually  develops  tastes  which  render 
an  Asiatic  discontented  with  the  financial  sup- 
port which  the  native  Church  or  the  board  can 
give  him,  and  makes  him  so  conceited  and 
overbearing  in  manner  that  he  is  heartily  dis- 
liked by  other  native  helpers.  He  thus  be- 
comes a  source  of  trouble,  rather  than  of  help. 

The  policy  of  encouraging  these  young  men  ?hrpra1i"*^^^^  °^ 
to  come  to  America  thwarts  wise  plans  for 
higher  education  on  the  fields,  creates  irrita- 
tion among  the  whole  force  of  native  agents, 
stimulates  a  worldly  ambition,  cuts  off  pat- 
riotism and  race  sympathy,  and  really  cripples 
the  influence  Vvdiich  it  is  supposed  to  increase. 
Not  infrequently,  too,  it  leads  to  imposition 
upon  the  home  churches  and  to  the  diversion 
of  funds  to  personal  uses  which  are  supposed 
to  go  for  missionary  objects.  Many  Orientals 
have  made  a  good  living  in  this  way,  and  some 
have  been  able  to  buy  property  and  to  loan 
money  on  bond  and  m.ortgage.  It  is  always 
wise  to  refer  all  appeals  for  assistance  to  the 
board,  which  can  judge  better  tlian  any  one 
in  the  churches  whether  a  given  native  can  be 
employed  to  advantage. 


i6o     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 


Self-Government 
Also  an  Aim 


Native  Church 


The  self-government  of  the  native  Church 
is  an  equally  essential  part  of  the  missionary 
aim,  though  it  may  not  be  so  quickly  realized. 
Nevertheless,  its  ultimate  attainment  should 
shape  our  policy,  and  the  native  Church  should 
be  stimulated  to  self-support  and  self-propa- 
gation by  being  frequently  reminded  that  both 
are  indispensable  prercciuisites  to  independ- 
ence. It  is  as  idle  in  Asia  as  in  America  to 
imagine  that  men  can  live  on  the  money  of 
others  without  being  dependent  on  them. 
cont?o[by1hl  As  for  the  missionary,  he  should  frankly 
say  of  the  native  Church  what  John  the  Bap- 
tist said  of  Christ :  "  He  must  increase,  but 
I  must  decrease."  If  there  is  ever  to  be  a 
self-supporting,  self-governing,  and  self-prop- 
agating native  Church,  we  must  anticipate  the 
time  when  it  will  be  in  entire  control.  More 
and  more  definitely  should  missionary  policy 
recognize  the  part  that  this  growing  Church 
ought  to  have  in  the  work.  In  the  past,  the 
typical  missionary  has  been  primarily  an 
evangelist  to  the  heathen.  He  had  to  be,  for 
liis  was  often  the  only  voice  from  whom  the 
message  could  be  heard.  The  mission  has 
been  paramount  and  has  been  expected  to  run 
everything.  Whatever  was  wanted,  the  board 
was  asked  to  supply.  But  a  native  Church  has 
now  been  created,  and  from  now  on  we  must 
concede   its    due    share    of    responsibility    for 


The  Native  Church        -  i6i 

making  the  gospel  known  and  for  directing 
the  general  work.  Many  things  need  to  be 
done  in  non-christian  lands  which  it  is  not 
the  function  of  the  boards  to  do.  Our  busi- 
ness is  to  plant  Christianity  and  help  to  get  it 
started,  and  then  educate  it  to  take  care  of 
itself. 

It  is  true  that,  in  some  lands,  the  native  Must  bI^"'"" 
Church  is  yet  in  its  infancy,  and  that  it  should  mSfnlshTn^"'' 
have  aid  and  counsel;  but  we  should  hold  ^"thority 
resolutely  in  view  the  principle  that  the  mis- 
sion is  a  temporary  and  diminishingly  author- 
itative body,  and  that  the  native  Church  is  a 
permanent  and  increasingly  authoritative  body. 
Even  though  the  mission  remains  a  century 
or  more,  as  it  must  in  some  lands,  this  funda- 
mental distinction  should  not  be  overlooked. 
A  policy  which  builds  up  a  big,  all-powerful 
and  all-embracing  foreign  mission  is  inherently 
and  radically  unsound.  We  are  not  to  imitate 
the  pope  of  Rome  by  claiming  to  be  the  spirit- 
ual rulers  of  the  world.  We  are  simply  help- 
ers and  coworkers. 

It  takes  a  great  deal  of  grace  for  the  mis-  ?!l^.""°^ 

o  o  fc^mbarrassment 

sionary,  after  having  been  the  supreme  au-  *°  Missionaries 
thority  for  years,  to  accept  a  place  subordin- 
ate to  that  of  the  natives  whom  he  has  trained. 
Missionaries  in  some  fields  already  find  them- 
selves in  this  position,  and  they  would  hardly 
be  human  if  tliey  did  not  feel  uncomf citable. 


i62     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

The  spirit  of  independence  has  become  so  in- 
tense in  Japan  that  many  of  the  native  leaders 
would  have  the  Church  refuse  to  recognize  a 
congregation  or  preacher  that  receives  foreign 
aid.  Such  a  spirit  of  self-sacrificing  inde- 
pendence is  far  more  hopeful  than  flabby  and 
supine  acquiescence  in  external  leadership.  We 
cannot,  however,  view  some  phases  of  the  sit- 
uation without  anxiety,  nor  can  we  fail  to  dis- 
cern how  embarrassing  the  position  of  the 
missionaries  must  be. 
NaSonrustfc  The  ucw  cousciousucss  of  power  that  was 
Feeling  j-^q^^^^  [^  ^  preceding  chapter  is  powerfully  in- 
fluencing this  spirit.  While  some  peoples  are  so 
lacking  in  independent  vigor,  or  are  so  accus- 
tomed to  be  dominated  by  foreigners  that 
they  look  up  to  the  missionary  as  a  superior 
being,  others,  notably  the  Japanese,  Chinese, 
and  East  Indians,  are  of  a  more  virile  and 
haughty  type.  The  attitude  of  a  convert 
toward  a  missionary  is  naturally  influenced 
by  this  racial  spirit.  He  is  still  an  Oriental, 
and  he  shares,  to  some  extent  at  least,  the  ir- 
ritation of  proud  and  ancient  races  as  they 
see  the  white  man  everywhere  striving  for  the 
ascendancy.  The  growth  of  the  native  Church 
in  numbers  and  power  has  developed  within 
it  a  strong  nationalistic  feeling,  a  conviction 
that  the  natives  should  be  independent  of  for- 
eign control  in  religion  as  in  government.  This 


The  Native  Church  163 

is,  of  course,  natural ;  but  it  involves  some  re- 
adjustments that  are  not  easily  made. 

What  shall  be  the  creed  and  polity  of  the  creed  and  Poiity 

A  -'  .         ^^  Native  Churc 

native  Church,  and  how  far  shall  the  mis- 
sionary seek  to  shape  them  according  to  his 
own  ideas?  This  is  one  of  the  related  prob- 
lems which  is  becoming  more  and  more  diffi- 
cult and  delicate.  The  missionary  from  the 
West,  trained  in  the  tenets  of  a  particular  de- 
nomination, born  and  bred  to  regard  its  creed 
and  polity  as  the  ones  most  in  accord  with  the 
Word  of  God,  is  very  apt  to  feel  that  they 
should  be  repeated  on  the  foreign  field.  But 
we  must  more  clearly  recognize  the  right  of 
each  autonomous  body  of  Christians  to  de- 
termine certain  things  for  itself.  We  cannot, 
indeed,  ignore  the  risks  that  are  involved. 
There  is  sometimes  ground  for  grave  concern. 
Will  the  rising  Churches  of  Japan,  of  China, 
of  India,  be  soundly  evangelical?  God  grant 
that  they  may  be.  But  who  is  to  be  the  judge 
of  soundness?  And  with  respect  to  undoubted 
doctrines,  to  what  extent  should  we  impose 
our  Western  terminology  upon  Eastern 
Churches?  We  must  be  fair  enough  to  re- 
member that,  in  the  course  of  nearly  two 
thousand  years,  Christianity  has  taken  on 
some  of  the  characteristics  of  the  white  races, 
and  that  missionaries,  inheriting  these  char- 
acteristics,   have   more   or   less   unconsciously 


164     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

identified  them  with  the  essentials.  Perhaps 
this  is  one  reason  that  Christianity  is  so  often 
called  by  the  Chinese  "the  foreigner's  reli- 
gion," a  saying  which  indicates  an  entire  mis- 
conception of  its  real  character. 

Our  creeds  were  formed  in  times  of  heated 
FraSed  urndt?  controvcrsy,  and  their  statements  are  massed 
circums^tance^'  ^^^  siich  a  way  as  to  be  effective  against  the 
particular  errors  which  were  prevailing  at 
those  times.  The  result  is  that  some  of  these 
creeds  are  impregnable  fortifications  on  sides 
from  which  no  special  attack  is  likely  to  be 
made  in  present-day  Asia  or  Africa,  while 
other  positions,  which  are  seriously  menaced, 
are  unguarded.  It  is  difficult  for  us  to  realize 
to  what  an  extent  our  modes  of  theological 
thought  and  our  forms  of  Church  polity  have 
been  influenced  by  our  Western  environment 
and  the  polemical  struggles  through  which  we 
have  passed.  The  Oriental,  not  having  passed 
through  those  particular  controversies,  know- 
ing little  and  caring  less  about  them,  and  hav- 
ing other  controversies  of  his  own,  may  not 
find  our  forms  and  methods  exactly  suited  to 
him.  It  seems,  therefore,  not  only  just  to  the 
Asiatic  Christians  but  in  the  interest  of  evan- 
gelical truth,  that  the  creed  and  polity  of  the 
native  Church  should  be  reasonably  adapted 
to  the  exigencies  of  Asia,  just  as  our  creed 
and  polity  have  been  adapted  to  the  exigencies 
of  Europe  and  America. 


The  Native  Church  165 

Why  should  not  the  Orientals  who  have  fo'E^/so'^ught''' 
accepted  Christ  as  Lord  have  some  liberty  in 
developing  for  themselves  the  methods  and 
forms  of  statements  which  logically  result 
from  his  teaching?  Possibly  some  of  our 
methods  and  statements  are  not  so  essential 
as  we  imagine.  With  all  due  insistence  on 
the  necessary  elements  of  our  faith,  let  us  ac- 
cord the  native  Church  the  same  freedom 
which  we  have  demanded  for  ourselves,  and 
refrain  from  imposing  upon  other  peoples 
those  externals  of  Christianity  that  are  dis- 
tinctively racial. 

When,  however,  this  position  is  agreed  to,  ^me?  ^^  **^^  ^'' 
the  problem  is  by  no  means  solved.  There  is 
practical  unanimity  among  missionaries  that 
the  native  Churches  should  be  self-governing 
in  time;  but  when  is  that  time?  There  is 
room  for  wide  difference  of  opinion  as  to 
whether  a  particular  Church  has  attained  that 
maturity  and  soberness  of  judgment  which  fit 
it  to  manage  prudently  its  own  affairs  and  to 
shape  its  own  theological  and  ecclesiastical 
development.  It  is  to  be  feared  that  in  some 
places  this  independence  is  coming  before  the 
Church  is  really  fitted  for  it.  And  yet  it  is 
perhaps  only  right  that,  in  respect  of  polity  as 
of  doctrine,  we  should  consider  whether  we 
are  to  be  the  final  judges  of  fitness.  Our 
Anglo-Saxon     ancestors    would    not    permit 


i66     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

other  Churches  to  decide  when  they  were 
competent  to  govern  themselves.  They  felt 
that  they  were  the  proper  persons  to  determine 
that.  Nor  did  American  Christians  allow 
.  their  mother  Churches  in  Europe  to  settle  this 
question  for  them.  Everywhere  in  the  his- 
tory of  Protestant  Christianity,  the  principle 
has  been  recognized  that  any  considerable 
body  of  believers  has  the  right  to  decide  for 
itself  whether  or  not  it  should  be  dependent 
upon  others.  Shall  we  deny  to  the  Churches 
of  Asia  a  principle  which  we  cherish  as  fun- 
damental ? 
Our  Natural        Jn   considcrins:  this  matter,   we  must  take 

Disposition  to  ■-*  ' 

Control  too  Long  Jnto  Consideration  the  natural  disposition  of 
man,  from  which  even  grace  does  not  emanci- 
pate, to  hold  on  to  power  as  long  as  pos- 
sible. It  is  notoriously  difficult  for  parents  to 
realize  that  their  son  is  growing  up  to  man- 
hood and  has  a  right  to  settle  some  questions 
for  himself.  This  is  even  more  apt  to  be  true 
of  the  home  Church  and  the  mission  in  deal- 
ing with  native  Christians  of  a  different  race, 
who  never  will  see  some  things  as  we  see 
them,  nor  be  disposed  to  do  some  things  as  we 
have  done  them.  It  is  extremely  difficult,  in 
such  circumstances,  for  the  missionary  to  pur- 
sue a  wise  course  between  the  extremes  of 
prematurely  hastening  and  unduly  retarding 
the  independence  of  the  native  Church.     We 


The  Native  Church  167 

must  balance  our  own  judgment  with  the 
clearly  expressed  judgment  of  the  native 
Christians  themselves,  and  with  our  belief  in 
the  common  guidance  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 

The  rather  extraordinary  objection  has  been  fIu  for  Liberty 
urged  that  if  the  native  Church  becomes  self- 
supporting  and  self-governing,  the  mission- 
ary cannot  control  it.  But  why  should  he 
control  it?  Because  the  native  brethren  are 
not  fitted  for  independence?  When  will  they 
be,  if  they  are  not  given  a  chance  to  learn? 
Shall  we  wait  until  they  equal  the  American 
and  European  Churches  in  stability?  Will 
a  century  of  dependence  develop  those  quali- 
ties which  wise  self-government  requires? 
We  must  remember  that  certain  essential 
qualities  of  character  can  be  developed  only 
by  the  exercise  of  autonomy.  "  It  is  liberty 
alone,"  said  Gladstone,  "  which  fits  men  for 
liberty.  This  proposition,  like  every  other  in 
politics,  has  its  bounds,  but  it  is  far  safer  than 
the  counter-doctrine,  wait  till  they  are  fit.'' 
The  way  to  teach  a  child  to  walk  alone  is  not 
to  carry  him  until  he  becomes  a  man,  but  to 
let  him  begin  to  toddle  for  himself  while  he 
is  still  young.  He  will  learn  faster  by  prac- 
tise and  tumbles  than  by  lying  in  his  mother's 
arms. 

What  if  the  native  Churches  do  make  some  Mistakes  Not  the 

ureatest  c<vils 

mistakes?     The   Epistles  of  Paul  show  that 


i68     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

some  of  the  early  Churches  fell  into  grievous 
errors;  but  he  did  not  refuse  them  independ- 
ence on  that  account.  The  Churches  of  Europe 
and  America  have  made  colossal  blunders, 
some  of  them  resulting  in  dire  calamities. 
The  native  Churches  can  hardly  do  worse  and 
may  do  better.  We  can  give  them  the  benefit 
of  our  experience  without  keeping  them  per- 
petually in  leading-strings.  They  need  a  cer- 
tain amount  of  restraint  and  counsel ;  but  that 
restraint  and  counsel  are  most  effective  when 
they  are  moral  rather  than  authoritative.  Bet- 
ter far  a  few  falls  and  bumps  than  continual 
babyhood. 
Four       Fear    of    the    independence   of    the    native 

Fundamental  ^  .  .^  .  , 

Errors  Church  may  sometimes  have  justification,  but 
too  often  it  appears  to  be  based  upon  four 
fundamental  errors:  first,  that  we  need  to  be 
afraid  of  our  avowed  aim  to  establish  a  self- 
supporting,  self-governing,  and  self-propagat- 
ing Church;  second,  that  the  Church  in  Asia 
must  be  conformed  to  the  Church  in  England 
or  America;  third,  that  we  are  responsible 
for  all  the  future  mistakes  of  a  Church  which 
we  have  once  founded;  fourth,  that  Christ 
who  "purchased"  the  Church  and  who  is  its 
''Head"  cannot  be  trusted  to  guide  it. 
^  F^i?h*ii^Sur  Let  us  have  faith  in  our  brethren  and  faith 
an^7n  God  i"  God.  When  Christ  said  that  he  would  be 
with  his  disciples  always,   he  meant  his  dis- 


The  Native  Church  169 

ciples  in  Asia  and  Africa  as  well  as  in  Europe 
and  America.  The  operations  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  are  not  confined  to  the  white  races. 
Are  we  to  take  no  account  of  his  guidance? 
He  is  still  in  the  world  and  will  not  forsake 
his  own.  We  should  plant  in  non-christian 
lands  the  fundamental  principles  of  the  gos- 
pel of  Jesus  Christ,  and  then  give  the  native 
Church  reasonable  freedom  to  make  some 
adaptations  for  itself.  If,  in  the  exercise  of 
that  freedom,  it  does  some  things  that  we  de- 
precate, let  us  not  be  frightened  or  imagine 
that  our  work  has  been  in  vain.  Some  of  the 
acts  of  the  native  Church  which  may  impress 
us  as  wrong  may  not  be  so  wrong  in  them- 
selves as  we  imagine,  but  simply  due  to  its 
different  ways  of  doing  things. 

The  Bible  was  written  by  Asiatics  in  an  o/oJj'^RlHg'on^ 
Asiatic  language.  Christ  himself  was  an 
Asiatic.  We  of  the  West  have  perhaps  only 
imperfectly  understood  that  Asiatic  Bible  and 
Asiatic  Christ,  and  it  may  be  that  by  the 
guidance  of  God's  Spirit  within  the  rising 
Churches  of  Asia  a  more  perfect  interpreta- 
tion of  the  gospel  of  Christ  may  be  made 
known  to  the  world. 

"Our  little  systems  have  their  day; 

They  have  their  day  and  cease  to  be; 
They  are  but  broken  lights  of  thee, 

And  thou,  O  Lord,  art  more  than  they." 


170     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

inspirin^g  sj^o^ry^o^f  -pj^c  attitudc  of  the  Church  at  home  toward 
Foreign  Churches  ^j^^g^  struggHng  Chuixhes  Oil  the  foreign  field 
should  be  appreciative  and  respectful.  The 
local  congregation  is  usually  small  in  num- 
bers and  poor  in  this  world's  goods.  It  is  sur- 
rounded by  a  vast  mass  of  heathenism  and  su- 
perstition. It  often  encounters  the  hatred  of 
heathen  priests  and  the  contemptuous  anger 
of  the  official  classes.  Many  of  its  members 
have  endured  bitter  persecution.  Some  have 
been  disowned  by  their  families,  deprived  of 
their  property,  scourged,  imprisoned,  and 
killed.  If  the  story  of  thousands  of  them 
could  be  written,  it  would  be  one  of  the  most 
inspiring  records  in  the  development  of  the 
Church  of  God.  Making  all  due  allow^ance 
for  those  w^ho  have  been  actuated  by  improper 
motives  or  who  have  shown  themselves  lazy 
or  incompetent,  the  fact  remains  that  multi- 
tudes have  been  loyal,  humble,  and  loving 
servants  of  God.  They  need  and  they  should 
receive  in  abundant  measure  our  sympathetic 
and  prayerful  cooperation. 

QUESTIONS  ON  CHAPTER  VI 

Aim  :  To  Understand  the  Problems  Involved  in  the 
Great  Aim  of  Foreign  Missions 

I.  If  the  heathen  and  Moslem  world  be  esti- 
mated at  1,000,000,000,  what  number  of  them 
are  still  unreached? 


The  Native  Church  171 

2.  If  we  have  less  than  8,000,000  communicants 
and  adherents  at  the  end  of  a  hundred  years 
of  missions,  how  long  would  it  take  at  the 
same  rate  to  Christianize  the  world? 

3.  What  should  be  the  missionary  policy  in  order 
to   accelerate   this    rate   of   progress? 

4.  Sum  up  all  the  advantages  that  the  missionary 
has  over  the  native  convert  as  an  evangelist. 

5.  Sum  up  all  the  advantages  which  the  native 
convert  has  over  the  missionary. 

6.  In  view  of  these  relative  advantages,  how 
should  the  work  be  divided  between  the  mis- 
sionary   and    the    native    evangelist? 

7.  What  is  the  relative  importance  to  the  mission- 
ary of  these  three  forms  of  work:  (i)  Preach- 
ing to  the  unevangelized;  (2)  dealing  with 
inquirers;    (3)   training  native  workers. 

8.  In  view  of  your  answer  to  the  last  question, 
what  sort  of  training  ought  the  missionary 
candidate  to  receive? 

9.  To  what  extent  ought  the  missionary  policy 
to  be  followed  by  the  ministry  at  home? 

10.  If  you  were  a  missionary,  what  precautions 
would  you  take  in  employing  a  native  as  an 
evangelist  ? 

11.  What  other  special  methods  would  you  employ 
to  render  the  native  Church  self-propagating? 

12.  In  what  ways  can  the  educational  work  co- 
operate in  rendering  the  native  Church  self- 
propagating? 

13.  In  what  ways  can  the  literary  work  cooperate? 

14.  If  you  were  a  missionary,  would  you  feel 
justified  in  suggesting  the  duty  of  giving  to 
a  convert  who  had  not  one  tenth  of  the  com- 
forts of  life  which  you  enjoyed? 


1/2     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

15.  At  what  point  should  the  subject  of  giving 
be  presented  to  the  native  convert? 

16.  What  things  that  the  native  Church  would 
otherwise  be  deprived  of  should  be  supplied 
from    the    mission    funds?  ; 

17.  What  things  would  it  be  better  for  the  native 
Church  to  forego  until  it  can  pay  for  them 
itself? 

18.  Give  the  arguments  for  and  against  a  free 
use  of  mission  funds  in  the  support  of  the 
native  Church, 

19.  What  measures  would  you  take  to  increase 
self-support  in  a  native  congregation  that  had 
been   backward   in  this   respect? 

20.  In  what  ways  will  self-support  stimulate  self- 
propagation  and  self-government? 

21.  What  are  the  advantages  and  disadvantages 
of  educating  native  Christians  in  this  country? 

22.  In  what  ways  is  the  missionary  better  fitted 
than  the  native  to  govern  the  native  Church? 

23.  What  are  the  principal  dangers  in  allowing  the 

native  Church  too  much  self-government? 

24.  What  are  the  principal  dangers  of  allowing  the 

native  Church  too  little  self-government? 

25.  What  measures  should  you  take  as  a  mis- 
sionary to  avoid  both  of  these  classes  of  dan- 
gers? 

26.  What  do  you  think  will  be  the  ultimate  connec- 
tion of  the  churches  founded  in  China  by 
different  denominations,  with  each  other  and 
with  churches  in  this  country  and  Great 
Britain  ? 


The  Native  Church  173 

References  for  Advanced  Study. — Chapter  VI 

I.     Self-Propagation. 

Centenary     Missionary     Conference     (Shanghai, 

1907),  16-18. 

Ross:   Mission   Methods   in   Manchuria,   VI. 

II.    Self-Support. 

Brown:   New  Forces  in  Old  China,  XXIU. 
Centenary     Missionary     Conference      (Shanghai, 
1907),   11-16. 

Ecumenical  Missionary  Conference    (New  York, 
1900),  XXXV. 

Jones:  India's  Problem;  Krishna  or  Christ,  274- 
277;  282-286. 

Ross :  Mission  Methods  in  Manchuria,  IX. 
Noble:  The  Redemption  of  Africa  241,265,  307, 
309-316. 

III.  Self-Government. 

Centenary     Missionary     Conference      (Shanghai, 

1907),    8-11. 

Ross:  Mission  Methods  in  Manchuria,  VIII. 

IV.  Character  of  Native  Converts. 

Brown:  New  Forces  in  Old  China  XXII. 
Gibson:  Mission  Problems  and  Mission  Methods 
in  South  China,  X. 

Jack :  Daybreak  in  Livingstonia,  334-336. 
Soothill :  A  Typical  Mission  in  China,  VII. 


THE  MISSIONARY   ENTERPRISE 
AND  ITS  CRITICS 


175 


Many  men  who  at  home  moved  in  good  society 
and  were  active  members  in  a  Christian  church,  are 
now  living  in  some  Eastern  city  in  a  manner  that  dis- 
graces the  name  of  our  Christian  civilization.  Some 
native  critics,  seeing  this,  say :  "Christianity  will  not 
endure  exportation  to  the  East."  It  cannot  be  ex- 
pected that  among  such  as  these,  who  know  no  Sabbath, 
and  who  have  abandoned,  for  the  present  at  least, 
restraint  against  intemperance  and  impurity,  there  will 
be  found  any  who  do  not  hate  the  very  name  mis- 
sionary because  of  the  condemning  conscience  that  the 
suggestion  arouses  in  themselves. 

— James  L.  Barton 

The  longer  one  stays  in  India  the  more  evidence 
one  has  that  the  future  well-being  of  this  country, 
and  above  all,  the  extension,  permanence,  and  quality 
of  British  influence,  depend  largely  upon  the  progress 
of  missions. 

— James  Bryce 

The  enemies  of  foreign  missions  have  spoken 
tauntingly  of  the  slowness  of  the  work  and  of  its  great 
and  disproportionate  cost,  and  we  have  too  exclusively 
consoled  ourselves  and  answered  the  criticism  by  the 
suggestion  that  with  God  a  thousand  years  are  as  one 
day.  We  should  not  lose  sight  of  the  other  side  of  that 
truth — one  day  with  him  is  as  a  thousand  years.  God 
has  not  set  a  uniform  pace  for  himself  in  the  work  of 
bringing  in  the  kingdom  of  his  Son.  He  will  hasten 
it  in  his  day.  The  stride  of  his  Church  shall  be  so 
quickened  that  commerce  will  be  the  laggard.  Love 
shall  outrun  greed. 

— Benjamin  Harrison 

For  the  preservation  of  peace  between  the  colonists 
and  natives,  one  missionary  is  worth  a  battalion  of 
soldiers. 

— Charles  Warren 
176 


VII 

THE  MISSIONARY   ENTERPRISE 
AND  ITS  CRITICS 

^  I  ^HE  purity  of  the  missionary's  motive  and  crmtKm 

-*-  the  unselfishness  of  his  work  do  not  exempt  Legitimate 
hTm  from  criticism,  nor  should  they.  Any  en- 
terprise which  depends  upon  public  support 
is  a  fair  object  of  criticism.  Boards  and  mis- 
sionaries are  human  and  have  their  share  of 
human  infirmities.  They  have  a  right  to  in- 
sist that  criticism  shall  be  honest;  but  within 
that  limit,  any  one  h^s~a  right  to  scrutinize 
their  methods  and  work  and  to  express  his 
conclusions  with  entire  frankness. 

Critics  should  remember,  however,  that  the  Mis?ikeT^^^^^ 
foreign  missionary  enterprise  deals  with  agents  ^oevitabie 
who  are  not  mechanical  instruments  or  sol- 
diers amenable  to  military  discipline,  but  liv- 
ing, intelligent  men  and  women  who,  like 
critics,  are  fallible;  who  are  scattered  all  over 
the  world ;  whose  acts  often  appear  strange  be- 
cause determined  by  conditions  which  people 
at  home  do  not  understand  ;  and  that  some  mis- 
takes are  inevitable  when  men  of  one  race 
attempt   to   live   among   and    influence   those 

177 


178     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

of  a  different  race.  We  shall  know  everything 
and  do  things  just  right  when  we  get  to  heaven ; 
but  on  earth  we  must  feel  our  way  along  and 
learn  by  experience.  Home  enterprises  and  busi- 
ness, educational,  philanthropic,  and  religious, 
are  exposed  to  a  constant  fire  of  criticism,  some 
of  it  just.  It  is  notorious  that  men  conducting 
them  often  blunder,  and  that  the  result  is  fre- 
quently waste,  duplication,  and  even  failure. 
Why  then  should  we  demand  perfection  of 
foreign  missionaries,  especially  when  their 
work  is  conducted  under  difficulties  far  more 
numerous  and  formidable?  We  do  not  object 
to  the  fact  of  criticism;  we  simply  urge  that 
it  be  reasonable  and  made  with  due  regard 
to  conditions. 
Four  Classes  of       Criticism  of  missionaries  and  their  work  may 

Criticisms  ... 

be  roughly  divided  into  four  classes: 
From       First,   tliosc   wliich   come   from   friends   of 

Friends  ' 

the  work  v/ho  see  defects,  or  think  that  they  do. 
Some  of  these  criticisms  are  undoubtedly  just, 
and  should  be  heeded.  Others  are  based  on 
misapprehensions,  and  should  elicit  temperate 
explanations.  The  attitude  of  the  boards  and 
the  missionaries  toward  this  whole  class  of 
critics  should  be  that  of  the  inspired  writer 
who  said :  "Faithful  are  the  wounds  of  a 
friend." 
From  Those  Who       Sccond,  criticisms  which  come  from  those 

Are  Ignorant  ,  r      1  1       1 

who  are  urnorant  oi  the  real  character,  aims. 


Missionary  Enterprise  and  Its  Critics     179 

and  work  of  the  missionary  and  the  methods 
of  mission  boards.  This  is  a  large  class.  There 
are  many  people  who  have  never  seen  mission- 
ary work,  or  met  a  missionary,  or  read  a  mis- 
sionary book,  but  who,  seeing  in  the  newspa- 
pers or  hearing  from  some  friend  the  class 
of  criticisms  to  which  reference  has  just  been 
made,  jump  to  the  conclusion  that  they  are 
true. 

The  increasing  interest  in  Asia  and  the  com-  Gfo^bl^VoueJ's^ 
parative  ease  with  which  it  can  now  be  visited 
are  rapidly  enlarging  the  stream  of  foreign 
travelers.  Unfortunately,  many  of  them  are 
mere  globe-trotters,  knowing  little  and  caring 
less  about  missionaries,  people  who  at  home  are 
only  languidly  interested  in  Church  work  and 
who  do  not  know  what  religious  effort  is  being 
put  forth  in  their  own  city.  Abroad,  they 
usually  confine  their  visits  to  the  port  cities 
and  capitals,  and  become  acquainted  only  at 
the  foreign  hotels  and  clubs.  They  seldom 
look  up  foreign  missions  and  missionary  work, 
but  get  their  impressions  from  more  or  less 
irreligious  and  dissolute  traders  and  profes- 
sional guides.  What  they  do  see  of  missions 
sometimes  misleads  them.  Typical  mission 
work  can  seldom  be  seen  in  a  port  city. 
The  natives  often  exhibit  the  worst  traits  of 
their  own  race,  or  are  spoiled  by  the  evil  ex- 
ample of  the  dissolute  foreign  community.  The 


■y 


i8o     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

mission  buildings  are  apt  to  be  memorials  or 
other  special  gifts,  and  give  a  misleading  im- 
pression as  to  the  scale  of  missionary  expendi- 
ture. Hearing  the  sneers  at  the  clubs  and  ho- 
tels, and  without  going  near  the  missionary 
himself,  the  globe-trotter  carries  away  slanders, 
which,  on  his  return,  are  sensationally  paraded 
in  the  newspapers  and  eagerly  swallowed  by  a 
gullible  public.  The  Hon.  Edwin  H.  Conger, 
former  American  Minister  to  China,  wrote: 
'The  attacks  upon  missionaries  by  sensational 
press  correspondents  and  globe-girdling  trav- 
elers have  invariably  been  made  without  knowl- 
edge or  investigation,  and  nine  tenths  of  them 
are  the  veriest  libel  and  the  grossest  slander." 
Cross-       It   is   often   interesting:  to  propound   some 

Questioning  a  .    ,  *^  ^       -^ 

Critic  questions  to  such  a  critic.  An  American  mer- 
chant returned  from  China  to  say  that  mis- 
sions were  a  failure.  Whereupon  his  pastor 
proceeded  to  interrogate  him.  "What  city 
of  China  did  you  visit?"  "Canton,"  was  the 
reply.  "What  did  you  find  in  our  mission 
schools  which  impressed  you  as  so  faulty?" 
The  merchant  confessed  that  he  had  not  seen 
any  schools.  "And  yet,"  said  the  pastor,  "our 
board  alone  has  in  Canton  a  normal  school, 
a  theological  seminary,  a  large  boarding- 
school  for  girls,  and  several  day-schools,  while 
other  denominations  also  have  schools.  Well, 
w^hat  was  there  about  the  mission  churches 


Missionary  Enterprise  and  Its  Critics     i8i 

which  so  displeased  you?"  Again  the  mer- 
chant was  forced  to  confess  his  ignorance;  he 
did  not  know  that  there  was  a  church  in  Can- 
ton till  his  pastor  told  him  that  there  were,  in 
and  near  the  city,  scores  of  churches  and  chap- 
els, some  of  them  very  large,  and  with  preach- 
ing not  only  every  Sunday  but,  in  some 
instances,  every  day. 

"But  surely  you  were  interested  in  the  hos-  Di^sd^Vurea 
pitals,"  queried  the  pastor.  "One  of  the  largest 
hospitals  in  Asia  stands  in  a  conspicuous  posi- 
tion on  the  river  front,  while  the  woman's 
hospital  in  another  part  of  the  city  is  also  a 
great  plant,  with  a  medical  college  and  a 
nurses'  training  school  connected  with  it." 
Incredible  as  it  may  seem,  he  knew  absolutely 
nothing  about  these  beneficent  institutions. 
Further  inquiries  elicited  the  admission  that 
the  critic  knew  nothing  of  the  orphanage,  or 
the  school  for  the  blind,  or  the  refuge  for 
the  insane,  and  that  he  had  made  no  effort 
whatever  to  become  acquainted  with  the  mis- 
sionaries. He  was  a  little  embarrassed  by 
this  time,  but  his  questioner  could  not  refrain 
from  telling  him  the  old  story  about  the  En- 
glish army  officer  and  the  foreign  missionary 
who  met  on  an  ocean  steamer.  The  army  of- 
ficer had  contemptously  said  that  he  had  lived 
in  India  thirty  years  and  had  never  seen  a  na- 
tive Christian.     Shortly  afterward,  he  recited 


i82     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

with  gusto  his  success  in  tiger-hunting,  de- 
claring that  he  had  killed  no  less  than  nine 
tigers.  "Pardon  me,"  gently  said  the  mis- 
sionary, "did  I  understand  you  to  say  that 
you  have  killed  nine  tigers  in  India?"  "Yes, 
sir,"  replied  the  colonel.  "Now  that  is  remark- 
able," continued  the  missionary,  "for  I  have 
lived  in  India  for  thirty  years  and  have  never 
seen  a  tiger."  "Perhaps,  sir,"  sneered  the  col- 
onel, "you  were  not  looking  for  tigers."  Pre- 
cisely," was  the  answer  of  the  missionary, 
"and  may  not  that  have  been  the  reason  why 
you  never  saw  any  native  converts?" 

outwa?i°li^w-  When  Mr.  Stead  got  the  impression  that 
"If  Christ  came  to  Chicago,"  with  its  thous- 
ands of  churches  and  Christian  institutions  of 
every  kind,  he  would  find  little  but  vice  and 
crime,  it  is  not  suprising  that  the  casual  trav- 
eler sees  few  external  signs  of  Christianity 
in  a  populous  pagan  city.  It  was  Christ  him- 
self who  said:  "The  kingdom  of  God  cometh 
not  with  observation,"  or  as  the  margin  reads, 
"not  with  outward  show."  ■ 
^"^^without       Third,  criticisms  which  are  based  on  want 

sympathy^for^the  ^-f  sympathy  with  the  fundamental  motives 
^°*^^^  and  aims  of  the  missionary  enterprise.  It  is 
sometimes  wholesome  for  those  who  live  in  a 
missionary  environment  to  ascertain  how  their 
methods  appear  to  people  who  are  outside  of 
that  environment.  Attention  may  thus  be  called 


Missionary  Enterprise  and  Its  Critics     183 

to  defects  which  would .  otherwise  escape  no- 
tice. Men,  however,  who  are  opposed,  not 
merely  to  certain  methods,  but  to  the  essen- 
tial character  of  the  movement  itself  can  hardly 
be  considered  fair  critics.  They  will  never 
be  silenced,  because  they  are  inaccessible  to  the 
Christian  argument.  Their  criticisms  have  been 
demolished  over  and  over  again,  but  they  re- 
appear unabashed  within  a  month.  Even 
when  their  objections  are  overcome,  their  op- 
position remains.  Critics  of  this  class  will 
always  ridicule  the  effort  to  propagate  a  re- 
ligion which  they  do  not  practise.  They  do 
not  confine  their  criticisms  to  the  missionary, 
but  sneer  at  churches  at  home,  declaring  that 
ministers  are  hirelings  and  communicants  hyp- 
ocrites. It  does  not  necessarily  follow  that 
the  criticisms  of  such  men  are  unfounded ;  but 
''it  is  within  the  right  of  the  missionary  to 
protest  against  being  arraigned  by  judges  habit- 
ually hostile  to  him,  and  it  is  within  the  right 
of  the  public  to  scrutinize  the  pronouncements 
of  such  judgm.ents  with  much  suspicion." 

Some  of  the  critics  of  this  class  live  in  plfeigncoionies 
Europe  and  America,  but  many  of  them  reside  TraVeitd  Laymen 
in  the  treaty  ports  of  non-christian  lands.  We 
do  not  mean  that  the  foreign  colonies  in  the 
concessions  are  wholly  composed  of  such  men. 
They  include,  on  the  contrary,  some  ex- 
cellent people  to  whose  sympathy  and  help- 


184     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

fulness  the  missionaries  are  greatly  indebted. 
We  are  not  quoting  missionaries,  however,  but 
widely  traveled  laymen  in  the  statement  that 
the  life  of  the  typical  foreigner  in  Asia  is  such 
that  a  missionary  cannot  consisently  join  in 
it,  no  matter  how  cordial  his  desire  to  be  on 
friendly  terms  with  his  countrymen.  Col- 
quhoun  declares  that  foreigners  in  China  go 
to  get  money  and  then  return,  do  not  learn 
the  language,  have  little  intercourse  with  na- 
tives and  know  little  about  them.  Mr.  Fred- 
erick McCormick,  for  six  years  Associated 
Press  correspondent  in  China,  says  that  "the 
foreign  communities  are  not  in  China,  but  at 
China,"  simply  "ranged  on  the  shore;"  that 
"they  carry  on  their  relations  with  China 
through  a  go-between  native;"  that  their  "so- 
ciety is  centered  about  a  club,  of  which  the 
most  conspicuous  elements  are  the  bar,  race- 
track, and  book-maker;"  and  that  "the  life, 
for  the  most  part,  of  the  communities  is  in 
direct  antagonism  to  that  of  missionaries" 
who  live  and  work  among  the  Chinese. 
,.rj°™       Fourth,  criticisms  which  spring:  from  con- 

Those  Whose  '  ^         ^ 

Interests  Conflict  flictiug  iutcrcsts.  Such  are  the  objections 
which  originate  with  traders  who  sell  rum  in 
Africa  and  opium  in  China,  who  traffic  in  the 
virtue  of  native  girls,  or  entice  away  coolies 
under  specious  "  contracts "  which  result  in 
virtual  slavery.     Some  regions  have  long  been 


Missionary  Enterprise  and  Its  Critics     185 

infested  by  men  of  this  infamous  type,  and 
while  some  of  their  nefarious  practises  have 
been  broken  up,  others  still  continue.  Almost 
every  port  city  in  non-christian  lands  has  dens 
of  vice  which  are  kept  by  white  men  or  women 
and  which  pander  to  the  lowest  passions.  Men 
of  this  kind  are,  of  course,  virulent  haters  of 
missionaries.  Charles  Darwin  asserted  that 
"the  foreign  travelers  and  residents  in  the 
South  Sea  Islands,  who  write  with  such  hos- 
tility to  missions  there,  are  men  who  find  the 
missionary  an  obstacle  to  the  accomplishment 
of  their  evil  purposes."  There  are,  too,  native 
priests  who,  like  the  silversmiths  of  Ephesus, 
find  their  craft  in  danger,  and  circulate  false- 
hoods regarding  missionaries  as  political  plot- 
ters or  adepts  in  witchcraft.  It  is  not  uncom- 
mon in  Chinese  cities  for  placards  to  be  con- 
spicuously posted,  charging  missionaries  with 
boiling  and  eating  Chinese  babies. 

Let  us  now  take  up  some  current  criticisms. 
Several  of  the  most  common  have  already 
been  considered  in  connection  with  the  subjects 
of  other  chapters. 

"  Missionaries  are  inferior  men."    The  man  ''Missionaries 

Inferior 

who  makes  this  objection  simply  shows  that 
he  does  not  know  missionaries  or  that  he  is 
generalizing  from  some  exceptional  individual. 
There  are  undoubtedly  missionaries  who  say 
and   do   foolish   things,    just  as   some   of   us 


i86     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

at  home  do,  and  once  in  a  while  one  proves 
to  be  incompetent.  Ninety-four  per  cent,  of  the 
business  men  of  the  United  States  are  said 
to  fail  at  some  time  in  their  lives.  Why,  then, 
should  a  few  missionary  failures  be  deemed 
an  adequate  ground  for  condemning  the  whole 
class?  The  reader  who  hears  criticisms  which 
impress  him  as  serious  should  demand  names 
and  particulars  and  forward  them  to  the  board 
with  which  the  missionary  is  connected.  The 
boards  have  neither  desire  nor  motive  to  shield 
misconduct.  They  will  promptly  investigate 
and  take  such  action  as  the  facts  may  justify. 
te^stiiSony  Travelers  and  officials  like  Charles  Darwin, 
Lord  Lawrence,  Sir  Harry  H.  Johnston,  Sir 
Robert  Hart,  Sir  Mortimer  Durand,  the  Hon. 
John  W.  Foster,  the  Hon.  William  Jennings 
Bryan,  Mrs.  Isabella  Bird  Bishop,  the  Hon. 
Charles  Denby,  and  scores  of  others,  have 
borne  high  testimony  to  the  worth  of  mission- 
aries. Those  who  do  not  confine  their  observa- 
tions to  treaty-port  hotels  or  draw  upon  their 
imagination  for  facts,  but  v/ho  have  eyes  to 
see  and  ears  to  hear  the  mighty  forces  which 
are  gradually  inaugurating  a  new  era  in  Asia, 
report  that  the  real  missionary  is  an  educated, 
devoted  man,  the  highest  type  of  Christian 
character,  and  that  in  the  spirit  of  the  Master, 
he  heals  the  sick,  teaches  the  young,  translates 
the  Bible,  creates  a  wholesome  literature,  and 


Missionary  Enterprise  and  Its  Critics     187 

inculcates  those  great  truths  of  the  Christian 
rehgion  to  which  Europe  and  America  owe 
whatever  of  true  greatness  they  possess.  No 
one  is  perfect,  but  the  man  who  can  write  only 
evil  of  such  men  and  women  does  so  at  the  ex- 
pense of  either  his  intelligence  or  his  candor. 

''Converts  are  not  genuine,  but  are  attracted 
to  the  missionary  by  the  hope  of  employment 
or  support."  The  number  of  native  communi- 
cants in  connection  with  foreign  missionary 
churches  is  1,816,450,  besides  1,272,383  en- 
rolled catechumens;  but  the  total  number  of 
native  agents  is  only  95,876,  many  of  whom 
are  paid  either  wholly  or  in  part  by  the  native 
Christians  themselves.  Making  all  due  allow- 
ance for  others  who  are  employed  as  servants  or 
who  receive  assistance  in  schools,  the  number 
who  are  aided  in  any  way  by  the  foreigner 
is  relatively  insignificant.  The  great  body  of 
native  Christians  have  no  financial  motive 
whatever  for  confessing  Christ.  The  Hon. 
Charles  Denby,  for  thirteen  years  American 
Minister  at  Peking,  has  reminded  the  world 
that  during  the  Boxer  uprising,  ''the  province 
of  Chih-li  furnished  6,200  Chinese  who  re- 
mained true  to  their  faith  in  spite  of  danger, 
suffering,  and  impending  death.  It  is  said 
that  15,000  converts  were  killed  during  the 
riots,  and  not  as  many  as  two  per  cent,  of  them 
apostatized.     In  the  face  of  these  facts,  the 


"Converts  Not 
Genuine" 


i88     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

old  allegation  that  the  Chinese  converts  are 
treacherous,  venal,  and  untrue,  must  be  re- 
nounced. Let  us  not  call  them  'rice  Christians' 
any  more." 
Irritation  A^ousld  "Missiouarics  Hccdlessly  irritate  the  Chi- 
nese by  interfering  v^ith  native  law- 
suits." A  difference  should  be  observed 
here  between  the  practise  of  the  European 
Roman  Catholic  missionaries  and  the  American 
Protestant  missionaries.  The  former  champion 
the  cause  of  their  converts,  particularly  when 
they  believe  that  lawsuits  are  instigated  by  the 
opponents  of  Christianity.  It  is  the  policy 
of  the  Protestant  boards  and  missions  to  dis- 
courage such  interference,  and  the  missionaries 
themselves  are  more  and  more  clearly  seeing 
the  imprudence  of  it.  Comparatively  seldom 
now  does  a  Protestant  missionary  give  offense 
in  this  matter. 
"^''Ha?e"by  "Missiouarics  are  universally  hated  by  the 
natives,  while  the  ordinary  foreigner  is  toler- 
ated." This  is  grossly  untrue.  The  mission- 
aries are  far  more  popular  with  the  people  than 
any  other  foreigners.  They  travel  freely,  un- 
armed and  unprotected,  and  it  is  comparatively 
seldom  that  they  are  molested.  When  they 
are  attacked,  it  is  by  a  class  of  ruffians  who, 
in  the  slums  of  an  American  city,  attack  a  Chi- 
nese gentleman  on  the  streets.  Imperial  edicts 
have   specifically   declared   that   ''the   Chinese 


Natives' 


A  Prefect' sWords 


Missionary  Enterprise  and  Its  Critics     189 

Government  ....  is  not  opposed  to  the 
work  of  the  missions."  It  would  be  easy  to 
fill  pages  with  extracts  from  edicts  commend- 
ing the  missionaries  and  their  work.  In  1895, 
the  Prefect  of  Nanking  issued  a  proclamation 
which  included  the  following  passage : 

*'Now  having  examined  the  doctrine  halls 
in  every  place  pertaining  to  the  prefecture, 
we  find  that  there  have  been  established  free 
schools  where  the  poor  children  of  China  may 
receive  instruction;  hospitals  where  Chinamen 
may  freely  receive  healing;  that  the  mission- 
aries are  all  really  good ;  not  only  do  they  not 
take  the  people's  possessions,  but  they  do  not 
seem  to  desire  men's  praise.  Although  Chi- 
namen are  pleased  to  do  good,  there  are  none 
who  equal  the  missionaries." 

During  their  visits  in  America,  both  Vice-  g-glf officfau"^ 
roy  Li  Hung-chang  and  Viceroy  Tuan  Fang 
freely  expressed  their  gratitude  for  the  services 
of  the  missionaries,  the  latter  declaring  that 
"the  awakening  of  China  may  be  traced  in 
no  small  measure  to  the  hands  of  the  mission- 
aries; they  have  borne  the  light  of  Western 
civilization  to  every  nook  and  corner  of  the 
Empire."  In  1900,  the  people  of  Paoting  fu 
murdered  the  missionaries;  but  they  soon  re- 
alized their  mistake,  gave  land  for  a  better 
station  site,  and  presented  to  the  new  mission 
hospital  a  silk  banner  on  which  was  worked 


190     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

in  letters  of  gold:  "This  place  bestows  grace 
on  the  Chinese  people."  In  the  same  city,  a 
high  official  visited  the  mission  church  and, 
seeing  the  ten  commandments  upon  the  wall, 
said  to  the  missionaries:  "If  you  can  get  that 
teaching  into  the  minds  of  my  soldiers  they 
will  be  good  soldiers.  I  see  now  one  notable 
characteristic  of  Christianity :  it  seems  to  have 
the  power  to  go  out  from  oneself  to  others; 
it  is  not  self-centered,  but  works  for  others." 
Mo"- Charles  'y\iq  Hou.  Charlcs  Dcuby,  late  American 
statement  Ministcr  to  China,  probably  was  as  competent 
to  pronounce  upon  tliis  quesiion  as  any  one, 
and  he  wrote :  "On  an  analysis  of  the  bitter  an- 
tichristian  movement,  we  find  that  it  is  largely 
to  be  explained  as  primarily  antiforeign;  that 
is,  largely  directed  against  missionaries  solely 
as  foreigners,  not  solely  as  teachers  of  a  for- 
eign religion.  The  missionaries,  in  the  vast 
majority  of  cases,  are  loved  by  those  Chinese 
with  whom  they  succeed  in  establishing  in- 
timate relations,  and  they  are  almost  univer- 
sally respected  by  all  classes  in  the  communities 
in  which  they  are  well  known." 
^"'^^Ap^p^^iafio^n  ^  large  volmr.e  would  be  required  to  quote 
pd'Jce^/rrfd  the  appreciative  words  of  Asiatic  and  African 
Officials  pj-ii-jces,  nobles,  magistrates,  and  people,  wher- 
ever they  have  become  acquainted  with  the 
real  character  and  objects  of  the  missionaries 
and  have  been  able  to  separate  them  from  the 


Missionary  Enterprise  and  Its  Critics     191 

white  men  who  have  poHtical  or  commercial 
designs.  Hardly  a  month  passes  without 
some  substantial  token  of  this  appreciation  in 
the  form  of  gifts  to  mission  institutions.  The 
Empress  Dowager  of  China,  the  Mikado  of 
Japan,  the  Emperor  of  Korea,  the  King  of 
Siam,  East  Indian,  African,  and  South  Sea 
princes  without  number,  and  even  Moslems, 
have  made  such  gifts ;  while  scores  of  officials, 
like  the  Chinese  Governors  of  Shan-tung  and 
Formosa  and  the  Siamese  Minister  of  the  In- 
terior, have  tried  to  secure  missionaries  for  the 
presidency  of  government  colleges  or  for  other 
responsible  posts. 

''Missionaries  make  trouble  for  their  own  M^f ke^Tr"o^ub"  for 
governments."  The  Hon.  William  H.  Taft,  J^^'/.^^^nts- 
Secretary  of  War,  in  an  address  in  New  York 
City,  April  20,  1908,  referred  to  this  criticism 
and  emphatically  denounced  it  as  unfounded. 
Well-informed  government  officials  do  not 
complain  about  missionaries  as  a  class, 
though  they  may  sometimes  object  to 
the  indiscretion  of  a  particular  individual. 
Suppose  the  missionary  does  occasionally  need 
protection;  he  is  a  citizen,  and  what  kind  of 
a  government  is  it  which  refuses  to  protect  its 
citizens  in  their  lawful  undertakings?  No  one 
questions  the  right  of  a  trader,  however  dis- 
solute, to  go  wherever  he  pleases  and  to  be 
defended  by  his  country  in  case  of  danger. 


192     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

Has  not  a  missionary  an  equal  right  to  the  bene- 
fits of  his  flag?  The  Hon.  John  Barrett, 
formerly  American  Minister  to  Siam,  says  that 
150  mission  workers  gave  him  less  trouble  in 
five  years  than  fifteen  merchants  gave  him  in 
five  months. 
"^'fn/u?e^and  "Missiouarics  injure  and  denationalize  their 
ieh-"convefts'^  convcrts."  Christianity  never  injured  or  de- 
nationalized any  one.  It  simply  made  him 
a  better  man — more  honest,  more  intelligent, 
more  charitable,  more  loyal  to  his  own  country. 
Why  should  it  injure  an  Asiatic  or  African 
to  stop  worshiping  demons  and  to  begin  wor- 
shiping the  true  God ;  to  renounce  drunkenness, 
immorality,  and  laziness,  and  become  a  sober, 
moral,  and  industrious  citizen?  The  fact  is 
that  native  Christians  in  Asia  and  Africa  are 
the  very  best  element  in  the  population.  The 
Chinese  Government  made  a  large  grant  for 
indemnity  for  the  lives  of  the  Chinese  Christ- 
ians who  were  murdered  during  the  Boxer 
uprising.  How  much  it  meant  to  the  poor 
survivors  will  be  understood  from  the  fact  that 
the  share  of  the  Christians  in  a  single  county 
was  10,000  taels.  But  none  of  the  Christians 
in  that  county  would  accept  the  indemnity. 
They  took  compensation  only  for  the  property 
they  had  lost ;  but  they  gave  one  tenth  of  that 
to  support  several  Chinese  evangelists  to  preach 
the  gospel  to  their   former  persecutors,   and 


Missionary  Enterprise  and  Its  Critics     193 

afterward  they  tried  to  raise  a  fund  to  pay 
back  to  the  government  the  indemnity  that 
they  did  receive.  Such  a  course  indicates  both 
genuineness  of  faith  and  loyalty  to  the  Em- 
peror. 

''Missionaries    preach    sectarianism    instead  pJJk^ch°"^"^* 
of  fundamental  Christianity."    This  is  precise-  sectarianism" 
ly  what  they  do  not  do.     There  is   far  less 
sectarianism  on  the  foreign  field  than  at  home.  *-*^ 
Denominational  lines  are  often  virtually  oblit- 
erated.    Where  they  are  prominent,  the  fault 
is  usually  with  the  home  Church.    The  mission- 
aries have  already  united  in  several  lands,  and 
they  would  do  so  in  some  others,  if  the  ec- 
clesiastical authorities  at  home  would  permit 
them. 

'There  is  much  to  be  done  in  our  own  land,  "Chadty  Begin  s 

^     at  Home 

and  charity  begins  at  home."One  might  urge 
with  equal  truth  that  education  begins  with  the 
alphabet ;  but  it  ends  there  only  with  the  feeble- 
minded. A  New  York  pastor  says  that  we 
ought  to  give  less  for  foreign  missions  and 
more  for  the  conversion  of  "the  foreigners 
within  the  shade  of  our  churches."  If,  how- 
ever, he  had  looked  into  the  Report  of  the 
Charity  Organization  Society  of  New  York, 
he  would  have  found  a  list  of  3,330  religious  .--^ 
and  philanthropic  agencies  in  his  own  city. 
The  first  time  I  visited  New  York's  slum  dis- 
trict, I  was  amazed  by  the  number  of  missions. 


194     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

A  high  authority  declares  that  "there  is  no 
other  city  in  the  world,  except  London,  where 
more  is  being  done  to  point  the  lost  to  the  Son 
of  God  than  in  New  York." 
woJicersl^Home  Many  have  seen  the  statement  that  St. 
Louis  has  one  church  for  2,800  of  population, 
Chicago  one  for  2,081,  Boston  one  for  1,600, 
and  Minneapolis  one  for  1,054.  In  the  United 
States  there  are  about  197,000  Protestant 
churches,  or  one  for  every  380  of  the  non- 
Catholic  population,  one  Protestant  minister 
for  514,  one  Christian  worker  for  seventy-five, 
and  one  communicant  for  four.  Talk  about 
the  relative  needs  of  the  United  States!  In 
a  town  of  8,000  people,  there  are  three  Pres- 
byterian, three  United  Presbyterian,  three 
Methodist,  two  Episcopal  churches,  and  one 
Christian  church.  *'For  every  missionary  the 
Church  sends  abroad,  she  holds  fifty-four  at 
home."  A  million  Americans  are  engaged  in 
distinctively  religious  work,  about  150,000  of 
whom  devote  themselves  to  it  as  a  separate 
profession.  In  the  light  of  these  facts,  the 
statement  that  "the  Church  cannot  see  the 
misery  which  is  under  her  own  nose  at  home" 
appears  rather  absurd. 
^  ^Abro^^d  How  is  it  abroad  ?  In  South  America  there 
is  only  one  ordained  missionary  for  154,000 
people;  in  Africa  and  India,  for  186,000;  in 
Siam,  for  200,000;  and  in  China,  for  603,000! 


7 


Missionary  Enterprise  and  Its  Critics     195 

Dr.  Arthur  Mitchell  wrote  of  a  journey  of 
only  twenty-four  hours  from  Hang-chou  to 
Shanghai :  "I  was  absolutely  awestruck  and 
dumb  as  I  steamed  past  city  after  city,  great 
and  populous,  one  of  which  was  a  Availed  city 
of  300,000  souls,  without  one  missionary  of 
any  Christian  denomination  whatever,  and 
without  so  much  as  a  native  Christian  helper 
or  teacher  of  any  kind.  That  silent  moon- 
light night,  as  I  passed  unnoticed  by  those 
long,  dark  battlements  shutting  in  their  pagan 
multitudes,  was  one  of  the  most  solemn  of 
my  life;  and  the  hours  of  daylight,  when 
other  cities,  still  larger  than  many  of  our 
American  capitals,  were  continually  coming  in- 
to view,  and  the  teeming  populations  of  the 
canals  and  rivers  and  villages  and  fields  and 
roads  were  before  my  eyes,  kept  adding  to 
the  burden  of  the  night." 

As  for  money,  the  runninsf  expenses  of  all  the  Mo"ey 

•^  '  ox-  Expenditures  at 

churches  in  the  United  States  absorbed  $is8,-  Homeand 

^     ^     '       Abroad 

000,000  in  1900.  In  New  York  City  alone 
they  were  $8,995,000.  These  figures  are  ex- 
clusive of  the  cost  of  new  structures,  general 
charities,  mission  contributions,  and  other  ob- 
jects. The  cost  of  maintaining  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  churches  in  the  United  States  for 
that  year  was  $14,606,000;  Presbyterian,  $20,- 
375,000;  Baptist,  $12,348,000;  Methodist, 
$26,267,000;  and  Roman  Catholic,  $31,185,- 


196     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

000.^  Almost  fabulous  sums  are  given  to  col- 
leges and  libraries  and  philanthropic  institu- 
tions in  America,  two  men,  Mr.  John  D. 
Rockefeller  and  Mr.  Andrew  Carnegie,  hav- 
ing contributed  over  $200,000,000  within 
less  than  two  decades,  the  former  bestowing 
v$32, 000,000  on  the  General  Education  Board 
in  a  single  gift.  The  yearly  aggregate  of  large 
individual  gifts  to  educational  and  charitable 
institutions  is  over  $150,000,000.  How  much 
of  this  enormous  sum  goes  to  foreign  missions 
has  not  been  separately  estimated;  but  the  to- 
tal income  of  all  the  boards  in  the  country 
is  only  $9,458,633,  and  as  the  bulk  of  that 
comes  in  small  sums  from  congregations,  it  is 
evident  that  but  little,  if  any,  more  than  $1,- 
000,000  of  these  large  individual  gifts  goes 
abroad.  In  general,  our  home  churches  spend 
ninety-four  cents  in  America,  for  every  six 
cents  that  they  give  for  the  evangelization  of 
the  world.  Of  England  and  Ireland,  it  is  said 
that  the  income  of  their  churches  approximates 
$150,000,000,  and  that  of  this  immense  sum 
only  $8,000,000  is  spent  on  missions  to  the 
heathen, 
chnstiamty^s       j^  j^  ^^^^^  ^l^^^  thcrc  are  unconverted  people 

Milements  at  homc ;  but  what  would  be  thought  of  a  busi- 
ness man  who  declined  to  sell  goods  outside 
of  his  own  city  until  all  its  inhabitants  used 

'^Christendom  Anno  Domini  igoj ,    Vol.  I,  533.   534- 


Missionary  Enterprise  and  Its  Critics     197 

them?  The  fact  that  some  Americans  are  ir- 
reHgious  does  not  lessen  our  obHgation  to  give 
the  gospel  to  the  world.  If  the  early  Church 
had  refused  to  send  the  gospel  to  other  nations 
until  its  own  nation  was  converted,  Christian-  >^ 
ity  would  have  died  in  its  cradle,  for  the  land 
in  which  it  originated  was  never  really  Christ- 
ianized and  is  to-day  Mohammedan.  The 
argument  that  our  own  land  is  not  yet  evan- 
gelized would  have  made  the  Church  at  An- 
tioch  disobey  the  command  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
to  send  forth  Paul  and  Barnabas.  It  would 
have  kept  Augustine  of  Canterbury  from  carry- 
ing the  gospel  to  England.  It  would  have 
prevented  the  founding  of  churches  in  America, 
and  would,  to-day,  cripple  all  our  home  mis- 
sionary work,  since  there  is  no  other  part  of  .-• 
the  United  States  more  godless  than  the  East- 
ern States  where  the  gospel  has  been  known 
the  longest.  Christ  did  not  tell  his  disciples 
to  withhold  his  faith  from  other  nations  until 
they  had  converted  Palestine;  he  told  them  to 
go  at  once  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the 
gospel  to  the  whole  creation;  and  it  is  because 
they  obeyed  that  command  that  we  have  the 
gospel  to-day. 

The  argument  that    we  ought    to   convert  NoTconfined 
America  first  because  it  would  then  convert  the  *°  ^"lerica 
world,  is  one  of  those  glittering  generalities 
that  do  not  bear  analysis.     America  has  had 


es 
d 


198     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

the  gospel  for  two  hundred  years,  and  is  not 
converted  yet.  England  has  had  it  more  than 
a  thousand  years,  and  is  as  far  from  conver- 
sion as  America.  How  long  will  it  be  at  this 
rate  before  our  homelands  will  be  saved? 
Must  countless  millions  die  without  Christ, 
wdiile  we  are  trying  to  win  white  men, 
most  of  whom  have  heard  of  him  hundreds 
of  times?  Not  so  did  Christ  direct  his  disci- 
ples. He  did  not  tell  them  that  the  best  way  to 
influence  the  world  was  to  regenerate  their 
own  land,  though  such  an  argument  would 
have  had  greater  force  than  it  has  now.  He 
sent  them  out  with  orders  to  preach  at  once 
not  only  at  home. but  abroad.  It  is  the  duty  of 
American  Christians  to  seek  to  convert  Ameri- 
ca, and  the  British  Christians  to  seek  to  con- 
vert Great  Britain.  But  that  is  not  their 
only  duty,  just  as  the  conversion  of 
Palestine  was  not  the  only  duty  of  the 
early  Church.  I  am  not  urging  neglect 
of  our  responsibilities  at  home,  but  sim- 
ply replying  to  the  frequent  objection  that 
they  are  a  reason  why  subordinate  attention 
should  be  given  to  our  responsibilities  abroad. 
The  Christian  of  to-day,  like  the  Christian  of 
the  first  century,  has  a  God-ordained  mission 
to  the  world  which  cannot  wait  upon  the  in- 
difference or  hostility  of  people  at  home. 
In  I^Absifrdity       ludccd  uo  natiou  ever  will  be  wholly  Christ- 


Missionary  Enterprise  and  Its  Critics     199 

ianized,  for  not  only  will  there  always  be  in- 
dividuals who  refuse  or  neglect  to  accept 
Christ,  but  before  any  one  generation  can  be  ,^ 
converted,  a  new  generation  of  young  people 
will  have  grown  up  and  the  work  must  thus 
be  ever  beginning  anew.  The  argument,  there- 
fore, that  we  should  not  preach  the  gospel 
to  other  nations  until  our  own  has  been  con- 
verted issues  in  an  absurdity,  since  it  would 
perpetually  confine  Christianity  to  those  na- 
tions which  already  have  it  and  would  forever 
forbid  its  extension. 

^'Missionaries  are  forcing  another  civiliza-  ^AnAutn^^''"''^ 
tion  on  lands  which  already  have  civilizations  upon"hem 
of  their  own  that  are  adapted  to  their  needs." 
No  other  objection  is  more  common  and  no 
other  is  more  baseless.  The  missionary  does 
not  force  his  civilization  upon  the  natives,  nor 
does  he  interfere  with  native  customs,  except 
when  they  are  morally  wrong.  A  higher  type 
of  civilization  does  indeed  follow  the  labors 
of  the  missionaries;  but  this  is  an  incidental 
result,  not  an  object.  Even  if  it  were  other- 
wise, the  Hon.  Denby  expresses  the  opinion 
that,  ''if  by  means  of  gentle  persuasion  we  can 
introduce  Western  modes  and  methods  into 
China,  we  are  simply  doing  for  her  what  has 
been  done,  in  one  way  or  another,  for  every 
nation  on  the  globe." 

No  native  is  obliged  to  become  a  Christian  LangSaie° 


200     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

against  his  will.  The  missionary  simply  of- 
fers and  explains  the  gospel.  Surely  he  has  as 
much  right  to  do  this  as  English  and  American 
manufacturers  have  to  offer  and  explain  their 
flour  and  cotton  and  machinery  and  liquor. 
"To  talk  to  persons  who  choose  to  listen;  to 
throw  open  wide  the  doors  of  chapels  where  na- 
tives who  desire  may  hear  the  Christian  faith 
explained  and  urged  upon  their  attention;  to 
sell  at  half-cost  or  to  give  the  Bible  and  Christ- 
ian literature  freely  to  those  who  may  care  to 
read ;  to  heal  the  sick  without  cost ;  to  instruct 
children  whose  parents  are  desirous  that  they 
should  receive  education — surely  none  of  these 
constitute  methods  or  practises  to  which  the 
word  'force'  may  be  applied,  under  any  allow- 
able use  of  the  EngHsh  language."^ 
"^^"'Ari'Good  'The  religions  of  other  races  are  good 
Enough"  ej^o^jgi^  foj.  them."  Then  they  are  "good 
enough"  for  us,  for  the  peoples  of  "other  races" 
are  our  fellow  men,  with  the  needs  of  our  com- 
mon humanity.  We  have  not  heard,  however, 
of  any  critic  who  believes  that  Islam  or  Hin- 
duism or  Buddhism  are  "good  enough"  for 
Europeans  and  Americans,  and  we  have  scant 
respect  for  the  Pharisaism  which  asserts  that 
they  will  suffice  for  the  Persians  and  East 
Indians  and  Chinese. 
The  Need  in       The  Chiucsc  are  justly  considered  the  strong- 

China  J  J  o 

iThe   Hon.    Chester    Holcombe. 


-^ 


y 


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Ongcll,K.c 


^Li 


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i 


*; 


'iiil 


r^ 


Missionary  Enterprise  and  Its  Critics     201 

est  of  the  non-christian  races,  but  Chang  Chih- 
tung,  Viceroy  of  Hu-peh  and  Hu-nan,  writes 
with  sorrow  of  "  lethargy,  sensuahty,  and 
vice,"  and  he  frankly  adds:  "Confucianism, 
as  now  practised,  is  inadequate  to  Hft  us  from 
the  present  pHght."^  The  Emperor  himself 
recognized  the  justice  of  this  characterization, 
for  he  declared  in  an  imperial  rescript  that 
he  had  "carefully  inspected  the  volume"  and 
that  "it  embodies  a  fair  and  candid  statement 
of  facts."  Answering  a  question  whether  it 
is  worth  while  to  send  foreign  teachers  to  sup- 
plant the  old  religions  by  Christianity,  the  Hon. 
Charles  Denby  wrote:  "As  Buddhism  un- 
doubtedly exercises  a  salutary  influence  on  the 
national  life  of  China,  so  the  introduction  of 
Christianity  now  will  instruct,  improve,  and 
elevate  the  Buddhists.  The  adoption  of 
Christianity  means  to  the  Chinese  a  new  educa- 
tion. He  becomes  mentally  regenerate.  He 
abandons  senseless  and  hoary  superstitions. 
His  reasoning  powers  are  awakened.  He 
learns  to  think.  The  world  has  not  yet  dis- 
covered any  plan  for  the  spreading  of  civiliza- 
tion which  is  comparable  to  the  propagation 
of  Christianity." 

It  is  difficult  to  understand  how  an  Ameri-  FJ'",Vrl^."**y*"^ 

the  W^hite  Man  s 

can  or  European  who  inherits  all  the  blessings  Ancestors 
of  our  Christian  faith,  can  deny  those  bles- 

^  Chang  Chih-tung,  China's  Only  Hope,  74,  75,  95,  96,   123, 
MS. 


202    Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

sings  to  the  rest  of  the  world.  Christianity 
found  the  white  man's  ancestors  in  the  forests 
and  swamps  of  northern  Europe,  considerably 
lower  in  the  scale  of  civilization  than  the  Chi- 
nese and  Japanese  of  to-day.  Jerome  wrote 
that  when  ''a  boy,  living  in  Gaul,  he  beheld 
the  Scots,  a  people  in  Britain,  eating  human 
flesh;  though  there  were  plenty  of  cattle  and 
sheep  at  their  disposal,  yet  they  would  prefer 
a  ham  of  the  herdsman  or  a  slice  of  the  female 
breast  as  a  luxury."  The  gospel  of  Christ 
brought  us  out  of  the  pit  of  barbarism.  Why 
should  we  doubt  its  power  to  do  for  other 
races  what  it  has  done  for  ours? 

TheGosp^eHs  -j-j^^  notiou  that  each  nation's  religion  is 
best  for  it,  and  should,  therefore,  not  be  dis- 
turbed, is  never  made  by  those  who  have  a 
proper  understanding  of  Christianity  or  of  its 
relation  to  the  race.  It  is  based  upon  the  old 
paganism  which  believed  that  each  tribe  had 
its  own  god  who  was  its  special  champion 
against  all  the  other  gods.  Such  an  idea  is 
not  only  false  in  itself,  but  it  is  directly  con- 
trary to  the  teachings  of  Christ,  who  declared 
that  his  gospel  was  for  all  men  and  that  it 
was  the  supreme  duty  of  his  followers  to  carry 
it  to  all  men. 

"^'IcompSh        ''Missionaries  are  accomplishing  very  little." 

Very  Little"   jj^ig  objcctiou  might  fairly  offset  the  objection 

that    missionaries    are    making    revolutionary 


Missionary  Enterprise  and  Its  Critics     203 

changes.  Both  cannot  be  true.  The  fact  is 
that  missionary  work  is  remarkably  successful, 
and  more  so  now  than  ever  before. 

The  justification  of  foreign  mission  effort  ^^|[,^\^„^crease 
is  not  dependent  upon  tabulated  results,  but  ^^^J^^f^ 
it  is  nevertheless  interesting  to  note  them.  The 
natural  presumptions  would  be  that  Christ- 
ianity would  make  very  slow  progress  in  a 
heathen  land,  for  it  is  regarded  with  suspicion 
as  an  alien  faith.  It  is  opposed  by  a  powerful 
priesthood  and  at  variance  with  long-estab- 
lished customs.  Family  ties,  social  position, 
caste  prejudice,  combine  to  keep  one  from 
confessing  Christ.  It  would  not  be  reasonable, 
therefore,  to  expect  as  high  a  percentage  of 
increase  as  at  home,  where  centuries  of  Christ- 
ian work  have  prepared  the  soil  and  created 
an  atmosphere,  where  Christianity  is  popular 
and  worldly  motives  blend  with  religious  to 
attract  men  to  the  Church. 

But  what  are  the  comparative  facts?  The  Gahirin''?hl  For- 
average  annual  increase  of  the  Protestant  ^'^"  ^'^''^ 
Churches  in  America  is  .0283  per  cent.^  while 
the  increase  on  the  foreign  field  is  .0685  per 
cent. 2  The  government  census  in  India  shows 
that  while  the  population  from  1891  to  1901 
increased  two  and  a  half  per  cent.,  the  Protest- 
ant   Church   membership    increased    fifty    per 

*  Dr.   Henry  K.   Carroll,   The  Christian  Advocate,    1903-1908. 
'  Dr.    D.    L.    Leonard,    Missionary    Review    of    the    World, 
1903-1908. 


204     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

cent.  The  gain  in  China  in  twenty  years  has 
been  over  lOO  per  cent.^  The  first  Protestant 
missionary  arrived  in  the  Phihppine  Islands  in 
1899;  within  nine  years  about  30,000  adult 
communicants  were  received.  In  1886,  the 
Korea  missionaries  reported  the  first  convert. 
Seven  years  later,  there  were  only  about  100 
in  the  whole  country.  Now  there  are  120,000 
Christians.  While  not  all  mission  fields  have 
been  as  fruitful  as  those  that  have  been  men- 
tioned, the  general  rate  of  progress  is  remark- 
ably high,  considering  the  circumstances,  the 
number  of  converts  in  1907  being  141,127, 
wfthou't'^paraiiei  ^^  Spite  of  the  advautagcs  in  Europe  and 
America — historic  associations,  favorable  pub- 
lic opinion,  splendid  churches,  numerous  work- 
ers— Christianity  is  making  more  rapid  pro- 
gress on  the  foreign  field  than  in  the  home  field. 
We  have  been  working  in  heathen  lands  only 
about  a  hundred  years,  in  most  fields  far  less 
than  this,  and  yet  the  number  of  converts  is 
already  greater  than  the  number  of  Christians 
in  the  Roman  Empire  at  the  end  of  the  first 
century.  No  other  work  in  the  world  is  so  suc- 
cessful and  no  other  yields  such  large  returns 
for  the  expenditures  made. 

Canon  Farrar's  '*To  SUCCr  at  missioUaricS,"   Said  Canon  Far- 

Trenchant 

Conclusion  far, — "a  thing  so  cheap  and  so  easy  to  do — 

iprom  80,682,  in  188710   191,985.  in   1906,  not  counting  136,- 
126    catechumens. 


Missionary  Enterprise  and  Its  Critics     205 


has  always  been  the  fashion  of  libertines  and 
cynics  and  worldlings.  So  far  from  having 
failed,  there  is  no  work  of  God  which  has  re- 
ceived so  absolute,  so  unprecedented  a  blessing. 
To  talk  of  missionaries  as  a  failure  is  to  talk 
at  once  like  an  ignorant  and  faithless  man." 

QUESTIONS  ON  CHAPTER  VII 

Aim  :  To  Estimate  the  Value  of  the  Current  Criti- 
cisms Against  Missionaries 

1.  What  are  the  principal  difficulties  encoun- 
tered by  the  foreign  missionary  that  are  not 
ordinarily  found  at  home?  Arrange  these 
in  order  of  importance. 

2.  How  well  prepared  are  the  social  customs  of 
non-christian  lands  to  fit  in  with  a  religion  like 
Christianity? 

3.  In  what  ways  do  the  differences  of  traditions 
and  ideals  tend  toward  misunderstanding  be- 
tween the  people  of  the  East  and  the  West? 

4.  How  long  and  under  what  circumstances  do 
you  think  a  man  ought  to  study  problems 
created  by  these  difficulties  in  order  to  criticize 
them  intelligently? 

5.  Is  there  any  class  of  persons  who  have  better 
opportunities  than  the  missionaries  to  study 
these   problems    intelligently? 

6.  For  what  reasons  is  the  average  missionary 
better  qualified  to  understand  the  people  than 
the  average  trader  or  diplomat? 

7.  What  arrangements  have  missionaries  on  the 
field  for  exchanging  views  with  one  another 
and    shaping   broad   policies? 


2o6     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

8.     What  criticisms  have  you  heard  from  those  who 
were  earnest  friends  of  the  enterprise? 
9.     Do  these  criticisms   involve  the  general   body 
of   missionaries,    or   only   certain    individuals? 

10.  Are  these  criticisms  more  serious  than  those 
passed   by    earnest    Christians    on   methods   of 

,     work  at  home? 

11.  Do  they  justify  failure  to  support  the  enter- 
prise? 

12.  Which  body  do  you  think  has  the  best  right 
to  criticize  the  other,  the  missionaries  or  the 
home    Church? 

13.  What  credentials  have  we  a  right  to  demand 
from  critics  of  missions? 

14.  What  questions  would  you  ask  of  a  globe- 
trotter who  returned  with  an  unfavorable  im- 
pression of  missionary  work? 

15.  Why  is  it  that  so  many  casual  travelers  re- 
ceive such   impressions? 

16.  If  some  missionaries  are  really  inferior  men, 
do  you  think  it  is  the  fault  of  the  denomination- 
al boards? 

17.  What  wise  and  practicable  measures  at  pres- 
ent neglected  would  you  suggest  to  raise  the 
standard  of  the  missionary  body? 

18.  What  percentage  of  Church  members  in  this 
country   do  you   consider  "genuine?" 

19.  Do  you  think  a  larger  percentage  would  endure 
martyrdom  for  Christ. than  was  true  of  the 
Chinese  Christians? 

20.  What  special  motives  has  the  missionary  more 
than  all  other  foreigners  for  cultivating  the 
friendship  of  the  people  among  whom  he 
works  ? 


Missionary  Enterprise  and  Its  Critics  207 

21.  What  more  than  others  have  missionaries 
done  for  the  communities  in  which  they  live? 

22.  Would  it  be  justified  in  witholding  Christ- 
ianity from  a  nation,  even  if  the  presentation 
of  it  should  arouse  hatred  in  some  individ- 
uals? 

23.  How  would  you  solve  the  problem  of  deliv- 
ering a  man  from  degrading  national  customs, 
without  denationalizing  him  in  any  way? 

24.  Was  the  Church  at  home  more  or  less  strong 
than  it  is  to-day  when  the  Holy  Spirit  sent 
out  Barnabas  and  Paul? 

25.  What  would  you  consider  a  fair  distribution 
of  workers  and  money  between  the  80,000,000 
of  our  population  at  home  and  the  over  300,- 
000,000  of  the  non-christian  world,  for  whom 
the  Christians  of  America  may  justly  be  held 
responsible? 

26.  If  God  really  intended  Christ  for  the  whole 
world,  which  has  the  better  reason  to  complain 
of  neglect,  the  Church  at  home  or  the  Church 
abroad  ? 

27.  Why  is  the  civilization  of  Christendom  super- 
ior  to   that   of   the   non-christian   world? 

28.  What  has  Christianity  done  for  the  civiliza- 
tion of  Europe? 

29.  Will  the  Christ  who  has  been  a  blessing  to 
Europe  be  a  curse  to  Asia  and  Africa? 

30.  How  do  you  account  for  the  fact  that  Christ- 
ianity progresses  more  rapidly  on  the  foreign 
field  than  at  home,  if  the  work  is  not  well- 
pleasing  to  God? 


2o8     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

References  for  Advanced   Study. — Chapter  VII 

I.      Testimonies  of  Statesmen  Regarding  the  Value 
of  Foreign  Missions. 

Barton :  The  Missionary  and  His  Critics,  VI,  VII. 

Brain :  Holding  the  Ropes,  XII. 

Denby:  China  and  Her  People,  Vol.  I,  XVII. 

Holcombe:  The  Real  Chinese  Question,  VI. 

Johnston:    The   Colonization   of   Africa,   VIII. 

Spcer:      Missionary     Principles     and     Practice, 

XXXV. 

Welsh :  The  Challenge  to  Christian  Missions,  175- 

188. 

II.     Testimonies  of  Travelers  regarding  the  Value  of 
Foreign  Missions. 

Barton:    The    Missionary   and    His    Critics,    III. 

Bishop:     The     Yangtze     Valley     and     Beyond, 

XXXIX. 

Geil:  A  Yankee  on  the  Yangtze,  II. 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  MISSIONARY 


Mrs.  Judson  chose  to  give  up  her  children  for 
her  Lord's  poor  children  in  Burma;  and  after  many 
a  long  tender  caress,  she  had  bidden  them  good-by, 
and  the  great  steamer  turned  her  prow  toward  the  open 
sea.  The  almost  broken-hearted  mother  stood  and 
watched  the  vessel  until  through  the  mist  in  her  eyes 
it  had  ceased  to  be  even  a  speck  on  the  distant  horizon, 
and  then  turning  into  her  room  sank  into  her  chair 
and  exclaimed :  "  All  this  I  do  for  the  sake  of  my 
Lord." 

— Charles  B.  Galloway 

To  this  is  added  the  decision  to  spend  that  life 
of  chosen  poverty  in  a  foreign  land,  in  most  cases, 
amid  unfavorable  surroundings,  far  away  from  per- 
sonal friends,  among  people  who  misunderstand  his 
motives  and  misinterpret  his  acts.  In  his  life  the 
missionary  faces  with  the  people  the  uncertainties  of 
pestilence,  and  he  is  always  amid  the  insanitary  con- 
ditions of  uncivilized  lands.  Whatever  may  be  said, 
viewed  from  a  merely  physical  standpoint,  the  life  of 
the  missionary  is  full  of  personal  sacrifice  from  be- 
ginning to  end. 

— James  L.  Barton 

Tell  Horace's  mother  to  tell  my  boy  Horace  that 
Ills  father's  last  wish  is  that,  when  he  is  twenty-five 
years  of  age,  he  may  come  to  China  as  a  missionary. 

— Horace    Tracy    Pitkin 


VIII 
THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  MISSIONARY 

WE  join  the  missionary  in  protesting  Lil^^otif/r^^ 
against  the  impression  that  he  is  essen-  christians 
tially  different  from  other  good  men.  There 
is  no  halo  about  his  head.  He  is  not  a  saint  on 
a  pedestal.  He  does  not  stand  with  clasped 
hands  and  uplifted  eyes,  gazing  rapturously  in- 
to Heaven.  We  have  met  more  than  a  thous- 
and missionaries,  and  we  have  been  impressed 
by  the  fact  that  they  are  neither  angels  nor 
ascetics,  but  able,  sensible,  and  devoted  Christ- 
ian workers.  The  typical  missionary  is  more 
like  a  high-grade  Christian  business  man  of 
the  homeland  than  a  professional  cleric.  He 
is  preeminently  a  man  of  affairs.  He  makes 
no  pathetic  plea  for  sympathy  for  himself,  but 
he  wants  cooperation  in  his  work,  and  to  have 
people  at  home  feel  that  the  work  is  theirs  as 
well  as  his. 

The  physical  hardships  of  missionary  life  Hardl'irips,  ir 
are  less  than  are  commonly  supposed.     Steam  DeTrea^sed"' 
and  electricity  have  materially  lessened  the  iso- 
lation that  was  once  so  trying.     Mail,  which 
a  generation   ago   arrived   only   once   in   six 


212     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

months,  now  comes  once  or  twice  a  week. 
Swift  steamers  bring  many  conveniences  of 
civilization  that  were  formerly  unobtainable. 
The  average  missionary  has  a  comfortable 
house  and  sufficient  food  and  clothing.  His 
labors,  too,  have  been  lightened  in  important 
respects  by  the  toil  of  his  predecessors.  He 
finds  languages  reduced  to  written  form,  text- 
books to  aid  him  in  his  studies,  and  a  variety 
of  substantial  helps  of  other  kinds. 
stifi'^Ab^ound  There  are  many  fields,  however,  where  con- 
ditions are  not  so  pleasant.  Those  who  com- 
plain of  a  New  York  August  can  hardly 
realize  the  meaning  of  an  Indian  hot  season, 
when  life  is  almost  unendurable  by  night  as 
well  as  by  day  for  months  at  a  time.  The  West- 
ern world  is  appalled  by  a  case  of  bubonic 
plague  on  an  arriving  ship,  and  it  frantically 
quarantines  and  disinfects  everything  and  ev- 
erybody from  the  suspected  country ;  but  during 
all  those  awful  months  when  plague  raged 
unchecked  in  India,  the  missionaries  steadily 
toiled  at  their  posts.  We  are  panic-stricken 
if  cholera  is  reported  in  New  York  harbor 
or  yellow  fever  in  New  Orleans;  but  cholera 
nearly  always  prevails  in  Siam,  and  yellow 
fever  in  Brazil,  while  smallpox  is  so  common  in 
Africa  that  it  does  not  cause  remark.  Sani- 
tation means  much  to  the  Anglo-Saxon;  but, 
save  in  Japan,  the  Asiatic  knows  little  about 


spirit  of  the  Missionary  213 

it  and  the  African  nothing  at  all.  What  would 
be  the  condition  of  an  American  city  if  there 
were  no  sewers  or  paved  streets,  if  garbage 
were  left  to  rot  in  the  sun,  and  all  offal  were 
thrown  into  the  streets?  That  is  actually 
the  condition  in  the  villages  of  Africa 
and  in  most  of  the  cities  of  Asia,  ex- 
cept where  the  foreigner  has  forced  the 
natives  to  clean  up.  Several  years  ago 
a  Methodist  bishop  solemnly  affirmed  that 
he  identified  seventy-two  distinct  smells  in  " 
Peking.  The  city  is  cleaner  now,  but  it  cannot 
be  called  sanitary  yet,  while  the  native  cities 
of  Chefoo  and  Shanghai  appall  the  visitor  by 
their  nastiness.  Everywhere  in  the  interior 
vermin  literally  swarms  in  the  native  inns,  and 
usually  in  the  homes  of  the  people. 

But  while   the  physical  hardships   are  less  Mental 

1  1  1       1  i   ,  i       Hardships 

than  are  commonly  supposed,  the  mental  hard- 
ships are  greater. 

First  among  these  is  loneliness.  This  is  ^o"e"°ess 
not  felt  so  much  in  the  port  cities,  for  there  are 
foreign  communities,  occasional  visitors,  and 
frequent  communication  with  the  rest  of  the 
world.  But  in  the  interior  the  isolation  is 
very  depressing.  Letters  from  home  friends, 
which  were  at  first  numerous,  gradually  become 
less  frequent,  till  relatives  and  board  secretar- 
ies become  almost  the  only  correspondents  and 
the  lonely  missionary  feels  that  he  is  forgotten 


214     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

by  the  world  of  which  he  was  once  a  part — 
**out  of  sight,  out  of  mind." 
^EnvSonment  At  homc,  too,  whilc  we  are  conscious  of  a 
Lacking  downward  pressure,  we  are  also  conscious  of 
a  sustaining  and  uplifting  force.  Few  of  us 
realize  to  what  an  extent  we  are  upborne  by 
environment.  There  is  evei*ything  to  buoy  us 
up — the  companionship  of  friends,  the  re- 
straints of  a  wholesome  public  sentiment,  and 
the  inspiration  of  many  meetings  and  confer- 
ences. We  are  situated  morally,  as  one  is 
sometimes  situated  physically  in  a  crowd,  so 
wedged  in  that  he  cannot  fall.  But  on  the  for- 
eign field  there  is  little  to  hold  one  up  and 
much  to  pull  him  down.  There  is  no  public 
Christian  sentiment  to  sustain,  few  associa- 
tions to  cheer,  no  support  from  large  numbers 
of  neighboring  friends  and  ministers. 
A  Constant  strain  j^  jg  desperately  hard  to  stand  alone,  and 
the  missionary  must  often  stand  alone.  All 
the  customs  of  the  country  are  against  him; 
all  its  standards  below  him.  He  receives 
nothing,  but  is  expected  to  give  everything. 
There  is  a  constant  strain  upon  his  sympathies 
and  his  spiritual  vitality,  with  nothing  to  feed 
the  springs  of  his  own  spiritual  life.  The  ten- 
dencies are  down,  down,  always  down.  The 
man  who  lives  in  an  interior  city  of  China  or 
Africa  may  be  compared  to  the  workman  who 
toiled  in  the  caissons  of  the  great  bridge  over 


spirit  of  the  Missionary  215 

the  East  River,  New  York,  where  the  pres- 
sure of  the  unnatural  atmosphere  affected  the 
heart  and  hmgs  and  imagination  to  the  point 
of  utter  collapse.  In  the  words  of  Benjamin 
Kidd : 

"In  climatic  conditions  which  are  a  burden  phasero?^ 
to  him ;  in  the  midst  of  races  in  a  different  and  *^^  Tropics 
lower  stage  of  development;  divorced  from 
the  influences  which  have  produced  him,  from 
the  moral  and  political  environment  from 
which  he  sprang,  the  white  man  does  not  in 
the  end,  in  such  circumstances,  tend  so  much 
to  raise  the  level  of  the  races  amongst  whom 
he  has  made  his  unnatural  home,  as  he  tends 
himself  to  sink  slowly  to  the  level  around  him. 
In  the  tropics,  the  white  man  lives  and  works 
only  as  a  diver  lives  and  works  under  water. 
Alike  in  a  moral,  in  an  ethical,  and  in  a  political 
sense,  the  atmosphere  he  breathes  must  be  that 
of  another  region  than  that  which  produced 
him  and  to  which  he  belongs.  Neither  phy- 
sically, morally,  nor  politically,  can  he  be  ac- 
climatized in  the  tropics.  The  people  among 
whom  he  lives  and  works  are  often  separated 
from  him  by  thousands  of  years  of  develop- 
ment." 

Then  there  is  the  weary  monotony  of  mis-  M°s"s^onary  Lfe 
sionary  life.     The  novelty  of  new  scenes  soon 
wears  off,   and  the  missionary  is  confronted 
by  prosaic  realities.     It  is  impossible  for  the 


2i6     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

minister  in  the  United  States  to  understand  the 
depressing  sameness  of  life  in  the  interior  of 
China.  The  few  associates  of  the  missionary 
are  subject  to  the  debiHtating  influences  which 
depress  him.  It  is  difficult  for  any  woman  in 
America  to  know  what  it  means  for  Mrs.  A. 
to  live  from  one  year's  end  to  another  without 
seeing  another  white  woman  except  Mrs.  B., 
who,  though  a  devoted  missionary,  is  not  ex- 
actly the  person  that  Mrs.  A.  would  have  chosen 
for  an  intimate  associate  if  she  had  been  con- 
sulted. We  at  home  can  choose  our  friends, 
and  if  Mr.  X.  is  not  congenial,  we  do  not  have 
to  be  intimate  with  him;  but  the  missionary 
has  no  choice.  He  must  accept  the  intimacy 
of  the  family  assigned  to  his  station  whether 
he  likes  it  or  not. 
separatKjn^from  ^)^q  Separation  from  children  is  harder  still. 
There  comes  a  time  in  the  life  of  every  mis- 
sionary parent  when  he  realizes  that  he  cannot 
properly  educate  his  child  amid  the  appallingly 
unfavorable  conditions  of  a  heathen  land.  The 
whole  tone  of  society  is  so  low  that  it  is  all 
that  the  missionary  can  possibly  do  to  keep 
himself  up  to  the  level  of  the  homeland.  In- 
deed, he  is  painfully  conscious  that  he  frequent- 
ly fails  to  do  it,  and  that  one  of  the  urgent 
necessities  of  a  furlough  is  not  so  much  to  get 
physical  rest,  as  to  tone  himself  up  again  men- 
tally and  spiritually  in  a  Christian  atmosphere. 


Spirit  of  the  Missionary  217 

What  then  can  be  expected  for  his  immature 
child  but  degeneration? 

The  average  missionary  therefore  must  Ja^e^I'^He^arts 
send  his  children  to  the  homeland  to  be  edu- 
cated. We  hope  that  none  of  the  mothers 
who  read  these  pages  will  ever  have  occasion 
to  know  what  a  heart  strain  is  involved  in 
placing  ten  thousand  miles  in  distance  and 
years  in  time  between  parent  and  child.  There 
are  chambers  of  the  human  heart  that  are  never 
opened  save  by  a  baby's  hand.  After  the  ten- 
drils of  the  soul's  affection  have  wound  round 
a  child,  after  a  soft,  tiny  hand  has  been  felt 
on  the  face,  and  the  little  one's  life  has  liter- 
ally grown  into  that  of  the  parent,  separation 
is  a  fearful  wrench. 

There  is,  too,  the  distress  which  every  sen-  unreiievabie 

^  '  '  J  Distress 

sitive  mind  feels  in  looking  upon  suffering 
that  one  is  unable  to  relieve.  Sir  William 
Hunter  said  that  there  are  a  hundred  millions 
of  people  in  India  who  never  know  the  sensa- 
tion of  a  full  stomach.  An  equally  great  num- 
ber in  China  live  so  near  starvation  that  a 
drought  or  a  flood  precipitates  an  appalling 
famine.  All  over  Asia,  one  sees  disease  and 
bodily  injury  so  untended,  or  what  is  worse, 
mistended,  that  the  resultant  condition  is  as 
dreadful  as  it  is  intolerable.  Dr.  John  G. 
Kerr  of  Canton  was  so  overcome  by  the  suffer- 
ings of  the  neglected  insane  in  that  great  city 


2i8     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

that  he  could  not  endure  them,  and  when  he 
could  not  get  help  from  America,  he  started 
an  asylum  at  his  own  risk.  Mrs.  A.  T.  Mills 
of  Chefoo  felt  driven  to  the  same  course  by 
the  pitiful  condition  of  deaf-mute  children. 
Heathenism  is  grievously  hard  on  the  poor  and 
the  sick  and  the  crippled,  while  the  woes  of 
women  in  maternity  are  awful  beyond  descrip- 
tion. Yet,  amid  such  daily  scenes,  the  mission- 
ary must  live. 
De°baringvice  '^^^^  ^^^^^^  ^^  ^^c  mcutal  suffcriug  which 
and  Immorality  comcs  to  any  purc-mindcd  man  or  woman  in 
constant  contact  with  the  most  debasing  forms 
of  sin.  Most  Asiatics  have  no  sense  of  wrong 
regarding  many  of  the  matters  that  we  have 
been  taught  to  regard  as  evil.  They  are  un- 
truthful and  immoral.  The  first  chapter  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Romans  is  still  a  literal  descrip- 
tion of  heathenism.  Its  society  is  utterly 
rotten,  and  nowhere  else  in  all  Asia  is  it  more 
licentious  than  in  Japan,  which  is  lauded  as 
the  most  intelligent  and  advanced  of  all  Asiatic 
nations.  We  do  not  forget  that  there  is  immor- 
ality in  America,  but  here  it  is  compelled  to 
lurk  in  secret  places.  It  is  opposed  not  only 
by  the  Churclies,  but  by  civil  law  and  public 
sentiment.  In  Asia,  vice  is  public  and  shame- 
less, enshrined  in  the  very  temples.  We  saw 
the  filthiest  representations  of  it  in  the  great 
Lama  Temple  in  the  capital  of  China.     India, 


spirit  of  the  Missionary  219 

which  boasts  of  its  ancient  civihzation,  makes 
its  most  sacred  places  Hterally  reek  with  vice. 
The  missionary  often  finds  his  own  motives 
grossly  misjudged  by  hostile  priests  and  prur- 
ient people.  The  typical  Asiatic  scoffs  at  the 
idea  that  the  missionaries  come  to  him  for  an 
unselfish  purpose.  A  single  man  is  often  mis- 
understood; a  single  woman  is  nearly  always 
misunderstood.  Heathen  customs  do  not  pro- 
vide for  the  pure  unmarried  woman,  and 
charges  are  freely  circulated,  and  sometimes 
placarded  on  walls  or  buildings,  in  ways  that 
are  most  trying. 

The  soul  in  such  an  atmosphere  feels  as  if  sJnoIallng 
it  would  suffocate.    The  pressure  of  abnormal  atmosphere 
conditions  tends  to  debilitation.    It  sets  nerves 
on  edge  and  exposes  to  diseases,  mental  as 
well  as  physical. 

Another  phase  of  the  strain  of  missionary  spiritual  Burden 
life  is  the  spiritual  burden.  To  look  upon  my- 
riads of  human  beings  who  are  bearing  life's 
loads  unaided  and  meeting  life's  sorrows  un- 
helped,  to  offer  them  the  assistance  that  they 
need  for  time  and  for  eternity,  and  to  have 
the  offer  fall  upon  deaf  ears — this  is  a  grievous 
thing.  Nothing  in  the  missionary  life  is  harder 
than  this  for  the  man  or  the  woman  who  has 
gone  to  the  foreign  field  from  true  missionary 
motives.  It  is  akin  to  the  strain  that  broke 
Christ's  heart  in  three  years;  for  it  was  this 


220     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

that  killed  him,  and  not  the  nails  or  the  spear. 
Physical  Danger       ^j^^   ^^^^^^   ^f   physical   danger   is   not   so 

common  now  as  formerly,  but  it  is  not  wanting, 
even  to-day.  There  are  martyrs'  graves  in 
India,  China,  Africa,  Persia,  Turkey,  and  the 
South  Sea  Islands.  In  some  lands,  missionar- 
ies are  insolently  denied  the  rights  guaranteed 
by  treaty  to  every  American  citizen.  Their 
property  is  destroyed,  their  work  hampered, 
their  freedom  of  movement  limited,  their  very 
lives  menaced. 
Missionaries       The  critic  impatiently  asks :  "Why  do  mis- 

Persistently  Hold       .  .  ...  .     .  ^      ,1      • 

Their  Posts  siouancs  pcrsist  m  remaining  at  their  posts, 
when  they  know  that  they  are  jeopardizing 
their  lives,  and  bringing  anxiety  to  their  rela- 
tives and  embarrassment  to  their  government? 
Why  do  they  not  fly  to  the  safer  ports,  as  the 
British  and  American  consuls  often  advise 
them  to  do? 
Soldier  s^dt  Why?  Partly  for  the  same  reason  that  the 
Spartans  did  not  retreat  at  Thermopylae,  that 
the  engineer  does  not  jump  when  he  sees  that 
death  is  ahead,  that  the  mother  does  not  think 
of  herself  when  her  boy  is  stricken  with  diph- 
theria. Shall  the  missionaries  leave  the  native 
Christians  to  be  scattered,  the  mission  build- 
ings to  be  destroyed,  the  labor  of  years  to  be 
undone,  the  Christian  name  disgraced?  The 
missionary  is  a  soldier;  his  station  is  the  post 
of  duty.    James  Chalmers  of  New  Guinea,  of 


ZENANA 

HISSiON 

HOSPITAL 

BAREILLY 

INDIA 


spirit  of  the  Missionary  221 

whom  Robert  Louis  Stevenson  said:  "He's 
as  big  as  a  church,"  and  who  was  finally 
clubbed  to  death  and  eaten  by  cannibals,  de- 
clared that  "the  word  ^sacrifice*  ought  never  *^ 
to  be  used  in  Christ's  service."  And  in  a 
speech  in  Exeter  Hall  fifteen  years  before  his 
death,  he  exclaimed:  "Recall  the  twenty-one 
years,  give  me  back  all  its  experiences,  give 
me  its  shipwrecks,  give  me  its  standing  in  the 
face  of  death,  give  it  me  surrounded  with  sav- 
ages with  spears  and  clubs,  give  it  me  back 
with  the  spears  flying  about  me,  with  the  club 
knocking  me  to  the  ground — give  it  me  back, 
and  I  will  still  be  your  missionary." 

Such  missionaries  form  the  "far-flunsf  battle  Heroism  More 

r    /-      1         rr-i  •       .  Than  Patriotic 

Ime  of  the  Church  of  God.  The  patriotism 
of  Briton  and  American  is  stirred  by  the 
thought  that  the  sun  never  sets  on  their  do- 
minions; but  a  holier  inspiration  should  thrill 
them  as  they  realize  that  the  sun  never  sets 
on  their  missionaries,  who  journey  through 
heat  and  cold,  and  dust  and  mud,  burned  by 
the  midday  sun,  drenched  by  sudden  storms, 
eating  unaccustomed  food,  sleeping  in  vermin- 
infested  huts,  enduring  every  privation  inci- 
dent to  travel  in  uncivilized  lands — and  yet, 
in  spite  of  all,  instructing  native  helpers  and 
church  officers,  settling  disputes,  visiting  the 
dying,  comforting  the  sorrowing,  and  above 
all  and  in  all  preaching  the  glad  tidings  of  the 


222     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 
kingdom  of  God.    It  can  be  truly  said  of  them : 

"There  is  no  place  they  have  not  been, 

The    men   of    deeds    and    destiny; 
No  spot  so  wild  they  have  not  seen, 

And  measured  it  with  dauntless  eye. 
They  in  a  common  danger  shared, 

Nor   shrunk    from    toil,    nor   want,    nor   pain." 


Unparalleled 
Devotion 


Persistence  and 
Joy  in  the  Work 


Missionary  annals  abound  with  inspiring  in- 
stances of  devotion.  The  last  act  of  Dr. 
Eleanor  Chesnut,  one  of  the  martyrs  at  Lien- 
chou,  China,  was  to  tear  off  a  portion  of  the 
skirt  of  her  dress  and  bind  up  an  ugly  gash  on 
the  head  of  a  Chinese  boy,  who  had  been  ac- 
cidently  injured  by  the  mob.  The  dying  words 
of  Mrs.  Machle  were  a  plea  to  her  murderers 
to  accept  Christ.  The  last  letter  of  Mr.  Peale 
was  such  a  large-hearted  expression  of  sym- 
pathy with  the  Chinese  that  the  Chinese  min- 
ister at  Washington  wrote:  ^'His  words  seem 
to  me  to  have  a  prophetic  ring;  in  his  untimely 
death,  America  has  lost  a  noble  son  and  China 
a  true  friend."  The  first  message  of  Dr, 
Machle,  after  the  tragedy  which  cost  the  lives 
of  his  wife  and  daughter,  was  not  a  demand 
for  revenge,  but  a  vow  to  consecrate  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life  to  the  welfare  of  the  Chi- 
nese. 

Some  moral  triumphs  are  greater  than  the 
physical  victories  of  war.    A  medical  mission- 


Spirit  of  the  Missionary  223 

ary  in  Persia  refused  a  palace  and  a  princely 
income  as  personal  physician  to  the  Shah,  say- 
ing :  ^*I  came  to  Persia  to  relieve  the  distresses 
of  the  poor  in  the  name  of  Jesus."  An  educa- 
tor in  China  declined  the  high-salaried  presi- 
dency of  an  imperial  university,  giving  as  his 
reason :  "  I  want  to  translate  the  Bible  and  to 
preach  the  gospel  and  to  train  up  Christian 
ministers."  An  old  man  in  Syria  rode  horse- 
back eight  hours  in  a  wintry  storm  to  adminis- 
ter the  communion  in  a  mountain  village. 
Another  in  Siam  pushed  his  little  boat  up  lonely 
rivers  swarming  with  crocodiles,  and  tramped 
through  snake  and  tiger-infested  jungles,  that 
he  might  preach  Christ.  Still  another  in  Laos 
forgot  his  threescore  and  ten  years  and  made 
a  solitary  six  months*  journey  that  he  might 
take  to  distant  peoples  the  tidings  of  the  gospel. 
Twenty-six  days  he  was  drenched  with  dew 
and  rain,  ten  times  he  had  to  swim  his  pony 
across  rivers,  four  days  he  wearily  tramped 
because  his  horse  was  too  jaded  to  bear  him. 
A  young  woman  in  India  walks  painfully  from 
house  to  house  under  a  blazing  sun,  but  writes : 
'This  is  a  delightful  work,  it  is  good  to  be  foot- 
sore in  such  a  cause."  Another  in  Syria  stands 
in  a  little  gallery  of  a  room  containing  about 
ten  people,  besides  cows  and  goats;  the 
mud  floor  reeking  with  dampness,  the  roof 
dripping  tiny  waterfalls  of  rain,  the  air  heavy 


Pathetic  Scenes 


224     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

with  smoke,  the  missionary  herself  racked  with 
cough  and  flushed  with  fever;  but  tenderly 
treating  two  hundred  patients  a  week  and  writ- 
ing: "I  am  very  thankful  to  record  God's 
goodness  to  me;  I  do  not  believe  that  ever  be- 
fore into  one  person's  life  came  such  opportu- 
nities as  I  enjoy."  A  physician  in  Korea 
cleanses  loathsome  ulcers,  opens  the  eyes  of 
the  blind,  and  makes  the  lame  to  walk.  A 
refined  woman  in  China  makes  regular  visits 
to  a  leper  colony  and  ministers  lovingly  to  re- 
pulsive sufferers  with  sightless  eyes  and  rotting 
limbs. 

And  then  the  scene  changes  and  a  sick  hus- 
band in  Turkey  asks  that  the  photograph  of 
his  wife  and  children  may  be  hung  close  to 
his  bed,  that  he  might  gaze  with  inexpressible 
yearning  into  the  faces  of  far-off  dear  ones 
whom  he  never  expects  to  see  again  in  the 
flesh.  Alfred  Marling,  seventy  miles  from 
a  physician,  dies  in  the  furnace  of  African 
fever,  singing: 

"How  sweet  the  name  of  Jesus  sounds !" 

A  mother  in  a  Syrian  shed  lines  a  rude  box, 
places  in  it  the  still  form  of  her  child,  sends 
it  away  for  distant  burial ;  and  then  goes  back 
to  her  sick  husband  and  tries  to  keep  up  a  brave 
face  and  not  let  him  know  that  her  heart  is 
breaking.     There  are  little  groups  of  moving 


spirit  of  the  Missionary  225 

people — husbands  following  to  far-off  ceme- 
teries the  hallowed  dust  of  their  wives,  widows 
walking  behind  the  coffins  of  their  husbands, 
Rachel  mothers  weeping  for  their  children  and 
''refusing  to  be  comforted  because  they  were 
not."  "Six  weeks  after  my  arrival  in  China," 
a  missionary  writes,  *'my  wife,  though  but 
shortly  before  in  America  adjudged  physically 
sound,  died  after  only  a  week's  illness.  The 
memories  of  the  cold,  bleak,  January  morning 
when  we  laid  her  in  that  lonely  grave  upon  the 
hillside  will  not  soon  fade  from  my  mind. 
What  a  mournful  little  procession  it  was  that 
passed  through  the  streets  of  hostile  Tsi-nan  fu 
that  day!  With  but  half  a  dozen  of  my  new- 
found friends,  I  followed  the  plain  coffin  borne 
by  coolies,  whose  jargon  seemed  all  the  more 
unsympathetic  because  I  did  not  undertsand 
it.  Oh !  the  unspeakable  desolation  that  sweeps 
over  a  little  community  such  as  many  of  our 
mission  stations  are,  when  death  invades  its 
feeble  ranks.  And  then  the  stifled  wail  that 
reechoed  from  America  three  months  later!" 

Who  can  think  unmoved  of  that  missionary  wfdowin" 
widow,  who,  when  her  husband  died  at  an  in-  ^'^"^ 
terior  station  of  Siam,  and  there  was  no  place 
nearer  than  Bangkok  where  the  body  could 
be  buried,  caused  the  coffin  to  be  placed  in  a 
native  boat,  leaving  a  space  of  eighteen  inches 
wide  and  eight  feet  long  on  each  side.     She 


226     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

sat  on  one  side  and  a  friend  on  the  other,  and 
the  native  boatmen  pushed  the  craft  out  upon 
the  river.  That  was  eight  o'clock  Friday 
morning.  All  day  they  journeyed  under  the 
blazing  tropical  sun,  and  the  reader  can  imag- 
ine what  that  meant  both  to  the  living  and 
the  dead.  When  darkness  fell,  the  stars  surely 
looked  down  in  pity  upon  that  stricken  widow 
crouching  so  close  to  the  dead  body  of  her 
husband  that  she  could  not  avoid  touching  his 
coffin.  It  was  not  until  two  o'clock  Saturday 
afternoon  that  the  pitiful  ride  ended  at 
Bangkok.  Flesh  and  blood  could  not  have 
borne  such  a  strain,  if  God  had  not  heard  the 
dying  petition  of  the  husband,  who,  foreseeing 
the  coming  sorrow,  had  brokenly  prayed: 
"Lord,  help  her!" 
Dead  at  Home  All  along  the  missionary  picket-line  are  the 
graves  of  the  fallen.  Since,  two  generations 
ago.  Dr.  Lowrie  buried  his  wife  in  India,  and 
Mrs.  Reed  saw  her  husband's  body  weighted 
with  shot  and  lowered  into  the  ocean,  hun- 
dreds have  laid  down  their  lives.  When  the 
soldiers  of  our  country  die  in  a  foreign  land, 
a  grateful  nation  brings  their  bodies  home  at 
public  expense.  After  the  Spanish-American 
war,  a  funeral  ship  entered  New  York  harbor, 
amid  the  booming  of  minute  guns  from  forts 
and  ships.  Two  days  later,  public  buildings 
were  closed  and  ensigns  were  hung  at  half-mast, 


spirit  of  the  Missionary  227 

while  the  honored  dust  was  borne  through 
the  nation's  capital  to  historic  Arlington.  A 
vast  multitude  thronged  the  beautiful  city  of 
the  dead.  As  the  flag-draped  coffins  appeared, 
a  ghostly  voice  seemed  to  say  to  the  silent 
host:  "Hats  off,  gentlemen!  for  yonder  come 
the  riderless  steeds,  the  reversed  arms,  the 
muffled  drums.  Something  is  here  for  tears." 
The  President,  admirals,  generals,  statesmen, 
diplomats,  bared  their  heads.  The  weird  music 
of  'The  Dead  March"  melted  into  the  sweeter 
strains  of  ''N'earer,  my  God,  to  Thee."  The 
parting  volleys  were  fired.  Clearly  and  sol- 
emnly the  bugler  sounded  taps,  and  the  mul- 
titude turned  away  with  tear-dimmed  eyes  to 
talk  of  a  noble  monument  to  commemorate  the 
lives  of  heroes. 

But  the  dead  soldiers  of  the  cross  lie  where   b'^^f/Lo.,, 

Missionary 

they  fell  on  our  lonely  missionary  outposts —  Graves 
amid  the  jungles  of  Africa,  in  the  swamps  of 
Siam,  beside  the  rivers  of  China,  and  under  the 
palm-trees  of  India.  If  we  may  adapt  the 
words  of  Mary  H.  Kingsley  to  a  class  that 
she  did  not  have  in  mind :  *T  trust  that  those 
at  home  will  give  all  honor  to  the  men  still 
working  in  Africa,  or  rotting  in  the  weed- 
grown,  snake-infested  cemeteries  and  the  for- 
est swamps — men  whose  battles  have  been 
fought  out  on  lonely  beaches  far  away  from 
home  and    friends  and    often  from    another  '^- 


228     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

white  man's  help,  sometimes  with  savages,  but 
more  often  with  a  more  deadly  foe,  with  none 
of  the  anodyne  to  death  and  danger  given  by 
the  companionship  of  hundreds  of  fellow  sol- 
diers in  a  fight  with  a  foe  you  can  see,  but  with 
a  foe  you  can  see  only  incarnate  in  the  dreams 
of  your  delirium,  which  runs  as  a  poison  in 
burning  veins  and  aching  brain — the  dread 
West  Coast  fever." 
""  worVe^Jl  Edward  Everett  Hale's  poem,  "All  Souls," 
eloquently  voices  the  debt  which  succeeding 
generations  owe  to  the  courage  and  fidelity 
of  the  forgotten  missionary  as  well  as  to  the 
pioneer  settler: 


"What  was  his  name  ?     I  do  not  know  his  name : 
I  only  know  he  heard  God's  voice  and  came, 
Brought  all  he  loved  across  the  sea. 
To  live  and  work  for  God — and  me ;  - 
Felled  the  ungracious  oak, 
Dragged   from    the   soil 
With  torrid  toil 
Thrice   gnarled   roots   and   stubborn   rock, 
With  plenty  piled  the  haggard  mountainside, 
And  at  the  end,  without  memorial,  died; 
No  blaring  trumpet  sounded  out  his  fame; 
He  lived,  he  died ;  I  do  not  know  his  name. 

"No  form  of  bronze  and  no  memorial  stones 

Show  me  the  place  where  lie  his  moldering  bones. 

Only  a  cheerful  city  stands. 

Built  by  his  hardened  hands ; 
Only  ten  thousand  homes, 


spirit  of  the  Missionary  229 

Where  every  day 

The  cheerful  play 
Of  love  and  hope  and  courage  comes. 
These  are  his  monument  and  these  alone ; 
There  is  no  form  of  bronze  and  no  memorial  stone." 

QUESTIONS  ON  CHAPTER  VIII 

Aim  :  To  Appreciate  that  Spirit  which  alone  is 
Sufficient  for  the  Missionary  in  His  Surround- 
ings 

1.  In  what  ways  is  the  life  of  the  ordinary  miss- 
ionary similar  to  that  of  minister,  physician,  or 
teacher  at  home? 

2.  Mention  a  number  of  ways  in  which  obsta- 
cles that  confronted  the  earlier  missionaries 
have  been  removed. 

3.  Name  the  three  principal  physical  discomforts 
of  the  average  missionary  in  the  tropics. 

4.  Mention  the  same  of  the  average  missionary 
in  the  temperate  zone. 

5.  What  difference  in  this  respect  is  there  between 
those  working  in  civilized  and  uncivilized  re- 
gions ? 

6.  Name  all  the  classes  of  persons  with  whom 
you  have  helpful  social  intercourse. 

7.  What  are  the  principal  things  that  render  this 
intercourse  pleasant  and  helpful? 

8.  To  what  extent  are  you  conscious  of  common 
sympathies  with  your  fellow  citizens? 

9.  How  do  your  privileges  in  this  respect  com- 
pare with  those  of  the  average  missionary? 

10.     Wliich    of    his    social    deprivations    would    be 
hardest  for  you? 


530     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

11.  How  dqes  the  average  missionary  compare 
with  the  average  minister  at  home  in  oppor- 
tunities   for    intellectual    stimulus? 

12.  What  are  the  things  from  which  you  derive 
most  spiritual  inspiration  and  help? 

13.  How  much  of  these  are  available  for  the  mis- 
sionary at  a  small  station? 

14.  Try  to  estimate  what  you  owe  to  the  silent 
influence  of  earnest  men  in  your  community. 

15.  Try  to  estimate  what  you  owe  to  public  opinion. 

16.  What  effect  would  it  have  upon  you  to  be 
constantly  surrounded  by  distress  which  you 
were  unable  to  relieve? 

17.  Why  would  you  hesitate  to  have  a  brother  of 
yours  live  in  a  community  that  was  lacking 
in  high  moral  ideals? 

18.  Try  to  estimate  the  moral  strain  upon  those 
living  in  heathen  communities  without  a  mis- 
sionary purpose. 

19.  What  do  you  think  would  be  the  effect  on 
yourself  of  having  to  preach  for  months  or 
years    at    a    time    without    results? 

20.  How,  in  your  opinion,  would  the  average 
critic  of  missionary  work  succeed  in  overcoming 
these  obstacles? 

21.  Was  Christ  ignorant  of  tlie  difficulty  of  the 
task   when   he    ordered   his    disciples    to    teach 

all  nations? 

22.  If  you  were  starting  as  a  missionary,  what 
resolves  would  you  make  as  to  your  per- 
sonal spiritual  life? 

23.  What  resolves  would  you  make  as  to  your 
attitude    toward    your    fellow    missionaries? 

24.  What,  as  to  your  attitude  toward  the  native 
Christians? 


Spirit    of   the    Missionary  231 

25.  What,  as  to  your  attitude  toward  the  non- 
christian  natives? 

26.  To  what  extent  would  these  resolves  be  useful 
for  Christians  at  home? 

27.  Name  the  principal  things  that  bring  spiritual 
stimulus  to  the  missionaries  on  the  field. 

28.  What  are  the  principal  things  that  you  would 
include  in  a  full  definition  of  the  missionary 
spirit? 

29.  What  is  the  reward  to  those  who  overcome 
all  these  obstacles? 

References  for  Advanced  Study. — Chapter  VIII 

I.     Learning  the  Language. 

Fox:  Missionaries  at  Work  III. 
Graham:  East  of  the  Barrier,  III. 
Hotchkiss:    Sketches    from   the   Dark   Continent, 
V. 

Tyler:   Forty   Years   Among  the  Zulus,   II. 
Verner:    Pioneering   in   Central   Africa,    XXXV. 
II.    Physical  Discomforts  of  Missionaries. 
Fox:  Missionaries  at  Wiork,  III. 
Lovett:  James  Gilmour  of  Mongolia,  VI. 
Mills:  Africa  and  Mission  Work,  IV. 
Tyler:    Forty   Years   Among  the   Zulus,    IX,    X. 
JM.    Heroism   of  Missionaries. 
Butler:  William  Butler,  IV. 
Clark:  Robert  Clark  of  the  Panjab,  XIII. 
Du  Bose :  Memoirs  of  J.  L.  Wilson,X,  XL 
Mackenzie:    Christianity    and    the    Progress    of 
Man,  VI. 

Ray:  The  Highway  of  Mission  Thought,  VIII. 
World-Wide  Evangelization  (Toronto  Conven- 
tion), 157-165. 


THE  HOME  CHURCH  AND  THE 
ENTERPRISE 


Ji3 


I  don't  know  anything  that  will  commit  the  Church 
of  Christ  more  completely  to  the  devotional  life,  that 
will  take  it  more  often  to  the  throne  of  God,  that  will 
give  it  more  permanently  and  consistently  a  sense  of 
the  indwelling  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  than  this  habitual 
confronting  of  the  Church's  task  in  the  world. 

— William  Douglas  Mackenzie 

When  we  once  see  that  systematic  benevolence  is 
the  most  wide-reaching  embodiment  of  spiritual  energy 
and  the  most  Godlike  expression  of  it,  we  conclude  that 
our  next  business  as  an  organization  is  to  cultivate 
systematic  benevolence.  Ours  is  an  educational  move- 
ment. The  great  test  and  sign  of  advancing  culture 
is  systematic  instead  of  spasmodic  expression  of  the 
soul. 

— L.    Call  Barnes 

Not  alone  are  the  workers  to  come  and  be  equipped 
by  prayer;  it  is  only  by  prayer  that  we  shall  call  forth 
the  great  energies  by  which  the  world  is  to  be  evan- 
gelized. I  believe  as  earnestly  as  any  man  in  sending 
out  adequate  numbers  of  missionaries  from  America, 
but  it  is  not  by  these  men  and  women  that  the  world 
is  to  be  evangelized.  If  we  lay  on  these  men  and 
women  the  whole  work  of  evangelizing  the  world,  the 
product  will  not  be  worth  the  outlay.  .  .  .  And 
only  by  prayer  will  great  leaders  be  raised  up  in  the 
native  Churches,  and  it  is  for  these  leaders  that  we 
are  waiting  now  in  the  missionary  enterprise.  As  far 
as  the  native  Churches  have  had  such  leaders,  during 
the  century  that  is  gone,  they  had  them  as  men  of 
prayer  who  were  supported  by  prayer. 

— Robert  E.  Speer 


234 


IX 

THE  HOME  CHURCH  AND  THE 
ENTERPRISE. 

WE  have  considered  the  phases  of  the  for-   Phases  Already 
^         .  Considered 

eign  missionary  enterprise  which  are 

most  important  from  the  view-point  of  the 
home  Christian.  We  have  seen  that  the  mo- 
tives for  the  prosecution  of  the  work  are  those 
which  form  a  necessary  part  of  true  Christian 
character,  and  that  they  make  their  claim  upon 
every  true  follower  of  Christ.  We  have  noted 
that  a  vital  part  of  the  aim  of  foreign  missions 
is  to  place  every  land  where  it  can  do  its  own 
home  mission  work,  on  a  basis  which  was 
reached  by  the  nations  of  Christendom  centu- 
ries ago.  The  work  of  foreign  missions  will 
be  done  in  China  long  before  China  is  Christ- 
ianized as  far  as  America.  We  merely  wish  to 
make  it  possible  for  China  to  Christianize 
herself. 

We  have  studied  the  administration  of  the  what  is  Their 
boards,  and  found  that  they  observe  every 
reasonable  precaution  in  securing  such  economy 
as  is  consistent  with  efficiency,  both  as  to  office 
expenses  and  as  to  the  support  of  mission- 
aries on  the  field.  The  money  contributed  by 
the  Church  is  being  conscientiously  used.     We 

235 


236     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

have  explained  the  quaHfications  required  in 
candidates  and  the  care  with  which  they  are 
selected.  Then  we  have  seen  the  missionary 
at  work  among  the  distinctive  conditions  that 
confront  him.  We  have  observed  the  problems 
involved  in  the  establishment  of  a  self-propagat- 
ing, self-supporting,  self-governing  native 
Church — the  goal  of  missionary  endeavor.  We 
have  examined  the  criticisms  of  missionaries 
which  are  more  or  less  current,  and  found  them 
to  be  for  the  most  part  products  either  of  mis- 
understanding or  of  antichristian  prejudice. 
Finally,  we  have  shown  something  of  the  spirit 
of  the  missionary,  a  spirit  which  we  are  under 
equal  obligation  to  exhibit.  And  now  the  ques- 
tion arises :  What  are  all  these  things  to  us  ? 
The  Measurej>f  Xhc  forcigu  missiouary  enterprise  is  not  the 
exclusive  business  of  the  workers  on  the  field, 
nor  of  the  boards  at  home,  nor  does  it  rest 
solely  upon  pastors  or  members  of  local  mis- 
sionary societies.  It  rests  upon  every  individual 
Christian.  The  responsibilities  and  privil- 
eges of  the  Christian  life  are  inseparable,  and 
no  one  who  repudiates  the  former  has  any  right 
to  claim  the  latter.  If  our  nation  were  en- 
gaged in  a  righteous  war,  and  there  came  a 
special  call  for  troops,  those  best  qualified  to 
go  would  feel  the  obligation  to  respond,  while 
enormous  appropriations  of  funds  would  be 
ungrudgingly   made.      If   the   first   supply   of 


Home  Church  and  Enterprise  237 

troops  proved  inadequate,  if  our  armies  were 
defeated  and  the  national  treasury  exhausted, 
it  is  safe  to  say  that  many  would  offer  their 
services  who  were  not  well  fitted  to  go  and 
could  ill  be  spared  at  home,  while  great  finan- 
cial sacrifices  would  be  freely  made  by  all 
classes  of  citizens  in  furnishing  the  necessary 
funds.  Only  the  need  would  measure  the 
supply.  We  feel  that,  whatever  the  cost, 
our  flag  must  be  supported  when  it  goes  forth 
to  war.  In  like  manner,  the  need  of  the  for- 
eign missionary  campaign  ordered  by  Christ 
is  the  measure  of  the  obligation  of  the  Church. 
By  a  claim  even  higher  than  that  of  patriot- 
ism, we  have  a  right  to  expect  that  the  needs 
will  be  met. 

What  are   the  needs?     In  the  first  place,  h^^^"^°'''"' 

i^      ^     '     Needed 

the  force  on  the  field  must  be  greatly  in- 
creased. Making  all  due  allowance  for  the 
duty  of  the  growing  native  churches,  we  ought 
to  have  at  least  one  man  missionary  for  every 
50,000  of  the  1,000,000,000  people  of  the  non- 
christian  world,  besides  a  proportionate  num- 
ber of  women  workers.  The  present  force  con- 
sists of  only  8,537  nien,  clerical  and  lay,  and 
this  number  includes  the  sick,  the  aged,  re- 
cruits learning  the  language,  and  the  consid- 
erable number  always  absent  on  furlough.  It  is 
safe  to  say  that  the  effective  force  of  men  does 
not  exceed  7,000,  or  one  for  every  142,857  of 


238     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

the  population.     This  means  that  the  average 

board  would  need  to  multiply  its  force  nearly 

^^ree  times  in  order  to  provide  one  man  for 

every  50,000  people  of  the  non-christian  lands. 

Givin  Re^ulfed  '^^  support  this  iucrease,  the  present  rate 
of  giving  must  be  proportionately  enlarged. 
Each  man  represents  an  annual  cost  of  ap- 
proximately $2,000,  this  sum  covering  not 
only  his  support  and  that  of  his  family,  but 
his  outfit,  traveling  expenses,  and  the  addi- 
tional work  which  he  calls  into  existence. 
Thus,  14,000  more  men,  would  involve  and  in- 
creased expenditure  of  $28,000,000  a  year, 
and  this  would  take  no  account  of  the  prop- 
erty that  would  be  required  for  the  residences, 
colleges,  boarding-schools,  theological  sem- 
inaries, hospitals,  and  printing-presses  which 
would  have  to  be  provided  and  equipped. 

A  Possible  Goal  jf  voluntcers  and  funds  are  to  be  provided 
on  an  adequate  scale,  the  home  Church  must 
be  kept  informed  and  aroused  to  the  need. 
What  we  lack  is  not  ability,  but  interest.  A 
I  thoroughly  awakened  Church  could  accomplish 
^^  I  a  large  part  of  the  aim  of  foreign  missions 
in  a  generation.  If  all  congregations  and  in- 
dividuals would  do  in  proportion  to  their  abil- 
ity what  some  congregations  and  individuals 
are  already  doing,  some  of  us  might  live  to 
see  the  successful  termination  of  the  foreign 
missionary  enterprise;  that  is,  each  land,  not 


Home  Church  and  Enterprise  239 

indeed  completely  Christianized,  but  equipped 
with  a  native  Church  able  to  handle  its  own 
problems.  The  key  to  the  present  situation, 
therefore,  is  found  ultimately  in  the  interest 
of  the  home  Church.  Interest  depends  on  the 
right  sort  of  knowledge.  Our  first  need  is  for 
a  campaign  of  education. 

The  three  main  agencies  of  education  are  Icho^f*""^^*^ 
the  home,  the  school,  and  the  church.  It  has 
come  about  that  the  first-named  does  very  little 
that  is  systematic,  and  that  the  two  latter  have 
divided  the  field,  one  taking  secular  and  the 
other  religious  instruction.  Whatever  the 
shortcomings  of  the  school,  it  is  at  least  at- 
tacking its  problems  in  earnest.  It  does  its 
work  on  a  vast  scale  and  expects  taxpayers 
to  furnish  it  with  adequate  equipment.  It 
claims  all  the  children  of  school-going  age  for 
twenty  to  thirty  hours  each  week,  and  pro- 
vides trained  and  salaried  teachers  for  their 
instruction.  If  there  is  one  thing  to  which  the 
American  people  are  thoroughly  committed, 
it  is  secular  education,  and  they  viev^  these 
efforts  and  meet  these  demands  with  supreme 
satisfaction. 

When     we    turn    to     relisfious    education,  weaknesses 

°  '    In  Religious 

we  find  that  much  less  is  being  done.     The  Education 
Sunday-school  is  a  regular  institution  in  every 
section  of  the  country,  and  an  immense  army 
of  scholars  assembles  every  week.      Millions 


240    Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

of  quarterlies  and  other  lesson  helps  are  printed 
annually,  and  county,  state,  and  national  or- 
ganizations hold  numerous  conventions  to  dis- 
cuss problems  and  arouse  enthusiasm.  We 
have  great  cause  for  gratitude  to  God  for  all 
that  has  been  accomplished  in  the  religious 
instruction  of  our  children  and  young  people; 
but  in  comparison  with  secular  education  we 
must  admit  that  there  are  three  conspicuous 
weaknesses  in  the  system. 
Insufficient  I.  RcHgious  cducatiou  receives  only  a  frac- 
*"^"  tion  of  the  time  that  the  secular  school  obtains, 
the  period  available  for  class  work  being  only 
one  fortieth  as  long.  If  we  consider  education 
as  the  handing  down  of  a  body  of  information, 
the  secular  school  has  certainly  more  to  com- 
municate, especially  in  these  latter  days.  But 
if  the  main  purpose  of  education  is  to  help 
us  to  be  and  do,  rather  than  merely  to  know, 
the  relative  importance  of  the  religious  side 
of  education  is  greatly  increased.  In  any 
event,  half  or  three  quarters  of  an  hour  once 
a  week  does  not  afford  sufficient  time. 
Teachers       2.  Tcachers    receive    far   less    trainins^    for 

Relatively  ^ 

Untrained  rcHgious  than  for  secular  work.  Small  as 
are  the  salaries  of  the  teachers  in  public 
schools,  they  are  not  paid  over  to  those  al- 
together without  qualification.  On  the  other 
hand,  while  the  body  of  Sunday-school  teach- 
ers includes  some  of  the  most  able  and  cul- 


Home  Church  and  Enterprise  241 

tured  people  in  the  country,  it  also  includes 
many  who  could  never  pass  the  public  school 
test.  In  some  localities,  teachers  are  in  such 
demand  that  any  one  willing  to  take  a  class 
is  pressed  into  service,  and  no  questions  are 
asked. 

3.  The  curriculum  of  the  Sunday-school  J°°riJjfjf"^ 
is  yet  very  meager.  This  is  almost  a  neces- 
sary consequence  of  the  two  other  weaknesses. 
There  is  time  for  only  one  thing,  which  of 
course  is  the  Bible,  and  owing  to  the  gen- 
eral lack  of  trained  teachers  even  this  is  too 
often  not  presented  in  any  richness  of  content. 
All  other  subjects  are  virtually  excluded. 

From  the  missionary  view-point,  these  w^knesses^^^^* 
weaknesses  are  most  grievous.  They  mean 
that  millions  of  children  pass  through  our 
Sunday-schools  without  any  adequate  instruc- 
tion on  the  greatest  task  of  the  Christian 
Church,  that  millions  of  our  young  people 
and  adults  are  to-day  without  any  more  con- 
secutive ideas  on  the  subject  than  they  may 
have  picked  up  in  merely  occasional  mission- 
ary sermons,  or  in  the  too  fugitive  treatment 
of  missionary  meetings.  How  shall  we  reach 
these  persons  with  clear,  connected,  and  in- 
spiring missionary  instruction? 

The  mission  study  class  has  been  found  a   service  of 

It*  1       •  f     A   '        ^•rr       1  i         Mission  Study 

great  help  m  the  solution  of  this  dimcult  prob-  ciass 
lem.  It  avoids  the  time  difficulty  by  holding  sep- 


242     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

arate  sessions  for  short  weekly  courses,  at  hours 
that  prove  most  convenient  to  the  small  groups 
composing  them.  It  is  gradually  supplying 
a  body  of  persons  who  know  something  about 
missions  and  are  able  to  teach  others.  It  will 
probably  be  for  some  time  to  come  the  best 
way  of  reaching  young  people  and  adults  with 
systematic  missionary  instruction.  By  filling 
its  members  with  knowledge  and  enthusiasm 
it  will  help  to  make  it  practicable  to  introduce 
an  effective  study  of  missions  into  the  Sunday- 
school.  Sunday-school  teachers  of  every 
church  should  be  strongly  urged  to  enter  a 
mission  study  class  eaqh  year  to  get  a  vision 
of  some  field  or  phase  of  the  missionary  enter- 
prise. Even  under  present  conditions,  they 
will  then  have  plenty  of  opportunity  to  develop 
missionary  spirit  in  their  scholars.  Without 
such  a  vision,  there  is  no  likelihood  that  they 
will  accomplish  anything  under  any  condi- 
tions, however  favorable. 
Training  of       We  must  Spread  systematic  mission  study 

Leaders  ,,,.,,  ,  ,  •    n 

among  all  classes  ni  the  church,  and  especially 
seek  to  bring  under  its  influence  those  who 
appear  likely  to  become  future  leaders.  If  the 
study  and  discussion  of  the  facts  presented  in 
this  book  have  helped  you,  you  owe  it  to  the 
church  to  share  what  you  have  received  with 
others  by  trying  to  enroll  them  as  members 
of  new  classes.  You  may  feel  ill-qualified  to 


Home  Church  and  Enterprise  243 

lead  such  a  class,  but  the  subject,  rather  than 
your  ability  in  presenting  it,  may  arouse  those 
who  will  render  to  the  cause  a  greater  service 
than  is  ever  permitted  to  you.  A  series  of  sum- 
mer conferences  and  winter  institutes  are  held 
every  year  for  the  express  purpose  of  training 
leaders  in  more  effective  methods  of  work,  and 
these  conferences  will  be  found  suggestive  and 
inspiring. 

The  systematic  study  of  missions  which  has  Thirpro^plSndi 
arisen  in  the  past  few  years  is  one  of  the 
most  promising  signs  of  the  times.  It  should 
be  pushed  until  no  congregation  is  without 
one  or  more  study  classes  for  the  training  of 
its  Sunday-school  teachers  and  the  inspira- 
tion of  its  workers.  After  the  way  in  which 
we  have  neglected  this  subject  in  the  past, 
we  owe  it  a  generous  apportionment  of  time 
and  pains.  A  strong  study  class  should  prove 
a  power-house  for  all  sorts  of  missionaiy  ef- 
fort in  the  church.  It  should  lead  to  instruc- 
tive and  enthusiastic  missionary  meetings,  to 
campaigns  of  missionary  reading,  to  the  in- 
troduction of  missionary  exercises  and  supple- 
mentary instruction  in  the  Sunday-school,  to 
the  formation  of  mission  bands,  and  to  in- 
creased prayer  and  giving  and  service  on  the 
part  of  all  the  church. 

When   it   comes   to   giving,   we   must   face  o^tV^^^ 
the  fact  that  the  Church  members'  average  an- 


The  Antiochian 
Church 


244    Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

nual  gift  for  foreign  missions  is  less  than  one 
dollar  per  capita.  Only  about  half  of  the  mem- 
bership of  the  average  church  participates  in 
the  gifts  for  missions,  and  many  pastors  make 
no  adequate  effort  to  reach  the  other  half.  A 
committee  of  one  denomination  reported,  a  few- 
years  ago,  that  nine  tenths  of  the  contributions 
were  made  by  one  tenth  of  the  membership. 
Some  whole  churches  give  nothing  at  all,  and 
others  give  only  through  the  women's  societies, 
the  pastor  and  all  his  officers  standing  helpless- 
ly or  indifferently  aloof.  The  plea  that  they  are 
small  and  weak  reminds  one  of  some  little 
home  missionary  churches,  mere  handfuls  of 
poor  people,  who  send  offerings  for  every 
one  of  the  boards  of  the  Church.  A  feeble 
congregation  is  made  stronger  by  doing  what 
it  can.  The  individual  Christian  needs  to  be 
educated  as  to  his  relation  to  the  world-wide 
mission  of  the  Son  of  God  and  to  give  propor- 
tionately and  prayerfully  towards  it,  whether 
he  is  rich  or  poor,  in  a  small  church  or  a 
large  one. 

If  ever  a  congregation  had  reason  to  as- 
sign local  burdens  as  an  excuse  for  neglecting 
foreign  missions,  it  was  the  little  church  at 
Antioch  when  the  Holy  Ghost  said :  ''  Separate 
me  Barnabas  and  Saul  for  the  work  where- 
unto  I  have  called  them."  It  was  the  only 
church  in  a  large  and  wicked  city.    No  church 


Home  Church  and  Enterprise  245 

in  all  Europe  or  America  has  a  greater  work 
at  home,  in  proportion  to  its  resources.  The 
devoted  little  band,  however,  never  flinched; 
but  "when  they  had  fasted  and  prayed  and 
laid  their  hands  on  them,  they  sent  them  away." 
Why  should  riot  tlie  modern  Church,  with  its 
vastly  greater  strength,  equal  the  faith  and 
courage  of  the  church   at  Antioch? 

No  sympathy  should  be  wasted  over  the  Ex^cuTe'"°The 
common  excuse  that  people  do  not  have  the  contrllt 
money  that  is  required.  They  have  it  in 
abundance,  and  they  prove  it  by  spending  it 
freely  on  things  that  minister  to  their  pleas- 
ure. If  some  have  too  many  other  burdens, 
they  should  diminish  them.  The  evangeliza- 
tion of  the  world  is  too  important  an  enter- 
prise to  take  what  is  left  after  everything  else 
has  been  provided  for.  Many  commercial  en- 
terprises employ  more  men  and  expend  more 
money  than  the  Church  would  need  for  the 
evangelization  of  the  world.  Business  men 
do  not  hesitate  to  attempt  the  most  colossal 
things  in  secular  affairs.  Not  content  with 
the  trade  of  America,  they  are  competing  with 
other  nations  for  the  trade  of  the  world.  The 
foreign  commerce  of  the  United  States  now  / 
runs  up  to  billions  of  dollars  a  year.  On  every 
side,  we  hear  of  big  buildings,  big  ships,  big 
factories,  big  steel  plants,  which  cost  immense 
sums. 


246     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

%?ISda^d  Why  then  should  it  be  deemed  fanciful  for 
the  Church  to  attempt  to  raise  for  the  evangeli- 
zation of  the  world  a  sum  which  many  of  its 
members  would  not  regard  as  impracticable 
for  a  secular  enterprise?  Shall  we  work  for 
our  own  enrichment  on  a  vast  scale  and  work 
for  God  and  our  fellow  men  on  a  small  one? 
Surely  the  Church  is  able  to  do  this  thing. 
I  grant  that  not  all  the  wealth  of  which  we 
hear  so  much  is  tributary  to  foreign  missions, 
that  many  Church  members  are  in  moderate 
circumstances  and  that  some  of  them  are  poor. 
I  remember,  too,  that  there  is  Christian  work 
at  home  which  must  be  supported.  The  fact 
remains,  however,  that  intelligent,  prayerful, 
systematic,  proportionate  giving  on  the  part 
of  poor  and  rich  alike  would  provide  ample 
funds,  without  injustice  to  any  family  or 
,  home  obligations.  There  are  thousands  of 
j  Christians  who  do  not  hesitate  to  incur  per- 
i  \  sonal  expenditures  for  a  hundred  times  the 
amount   that   they   give   to   foreign   missions. 

^xamlTie  Thc  Moravian  Church  sets  an  excellent 
example  to  Christendom  as  to  what  can  be  done 
when  Christians  have  the  right  ideas.  Most 
of  its  members  are  poor,  but  it  supports  one 
missionary  for  every  sixty  of  its  membership; 
whereas  among  Baptists,  Congregationalists, 
Methodists,  and  Presbyterians,  with  far  great- 
er wealth,  it  takes  an  average  of  6,146  mem- 


Home  Church  and  Enterprise  247 

bars  to  support  one  missionary.  Allowing  for 
the  aid  that  Moravian  missions  receive  from 
the  members  of  other  Churches,  the  fact  re- 
mains that,  if  all  Protestant  Churches  would 
send  out  missionaries  in  the  same  proportion 
as  the  Moravians,  there  would  be  half  a  mil- 
lion missionaries  on  the  field,  a  number  far 
in  excess  of  the  number  that  it  would  be  wise 
to  send. 

We  need  not  go  into  questions  of  method  Having  a  Method 
of  raising  money.  Effective  ways  of  doing  a 
thing  will  be  easily  found  by  one  who  is 
determined  to  do  it.  The  boards  will  gladly 
send  detailed  information  to  all  who  ask  for 
it.  The  important  thing  is  to  have  a  method, 
and  to  work  it  in  such  a  way  as  to  secure 
.some  offering  from  every  individual,  not  nec- 
essarily large  in  amount,  but  proportionate 
to  ability,  and  to  reach  the  absentees  as  well 
as  those  who  are  present. 

Vv  e  protest,  however,  against  "the  two-cent-  a  Beiittung  scaie 
a- week"  plea.  It  does  not  secure  the  gift  of 
the  poor,  it  benumbs  the  liberality  of  the  rich,  -^• 
and  it  belittles  the  whole  enterprise.  Fancy 
a  minister  standing  before  a  congregation, 
whose  typical  member  is  wearing  $50  worth 
of  clothing  and  $25  worth  of  jewelry,  whose 
household  furniture  has  cost  several  thous- 
and dollars,  who  smokes  from  ten  to  fifty 
cents'  worth  of  tobacco  a  day,  and  who  com- 


248     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

mands  not  only  the  conveniences,  but  many 
of  the  luxuries  of  life — fancy  telling  such  a 
man  that  his  foreign  missionary  responsibil- 
ities are  met  by  a  gift  of  two  cents  a  week! 
He  spends  more  than  that  for  blacking  his 
shoes.  A  proportionate  gift  for  the  average 
layman  is  not  pennies  at  all,  nor  even  silver, 
but  bills  or  checks. 
Broader^spint  Y\i^  insist,  too,  that  missiouary  operations 
have  gone  about  as  far  as  they  can  go  in  de- 
pendence upon  the  passing-the-hat  method 
among  tliose  who  happen  to  be  present  at  a 
given  service.  Inquiry  in  a  certani  State  de- 
veloped the  fact  that  only  forty  per  cent, 
of  the  reported  membership  attended  church 
on  a  Sunday  morning  of  average  weather 
conditions.  Business  men  who  are  present 
seldom  carry  much  cash  on  their  persons. 
Large  givers  never  have  proportionate  sums 
with  them.  If,  in  response  to  an  appeal,  they 
empty  their  pockets,  they  are  doing  all  they 
can  do,  or,  at  any  rate,  all  they  will  do  under 
that  system.  This  is  an  era  of  large  private 
gifts.  Almost  every  week  we  hear  of  some 
one  bestowing  $100,000  or  $1,000,000  on  a 
college  or  library  or  hospital.  The  chief  de- 
pendence of  our  educational  and  charitable 
institutions  is  upon  contributions  of  this  char- 
acter. Is  it  not  almost  farcical  for  the  Church 
to  endeavor  to  maintain  churches,   hospitals. 


WEAVING 


Home  Church  and  Enterprise  249 

schools,  colleges,  theological  seminaries,  print- 
ing-presses, and  a  host  of  missionaries  and  na- 
tive helpers,  by  plate  collections  as  an  annual 
incident  of  public  service?  If  we  are  to  give 
the  gospel  to  the  world  we  must  raise  money 
for  missions  as  we  raise  it  for  other  big  enter- 
prises, by  subscription.  The  wisest  pastors 
are  calling  for  pledges  instead  of  cash.  A  man 
who  would  unblushingly  slip  a  quarter  into 
a  collection  basket  would  never  dream  of  sign- 
ing a  card  for  such  a  sum.  We  have  passed 
the  canal-boat  and  stage-coach  days  in  foreign 
missions  as  well  as  in  transportation.  We 
must  now  have  money  in  larger  sums.  Our 
laymen  are  doing  big  things  in  business.  Why 
should  they  not  do  big  things  for  God? 

Each  church  should  have  a  committee  of  ^1"^^^^""°^ 
laymen  to  cooperate  with  the  pastor  in  promot-| 
ing  foreign  missionary  interest  and  increas-| 
ing  foreign  missionary  gifts  in  the  congre-:' 
gation.  This  committee  should  do  among  the 
men  of  the  church  what  the  woman's  society 
does  so  v/ell  among  the  women.  Experience  has 
shown  that  the  men  will  make  prompt  re- 
sponse, if  intelligent  and  systematic  effort  is 
put  forth  to  reach  them. 

Whenever   an   effort   is   made   to    increase  Be^wefn  Home 
gifts    for    foreign    missions,    there    are    some  ^"'^  ^°^^'sa 
who  raise  a  hue  and  cry  about  the  alleged  di- 
version of  funds  from  home  enterprises.     A 


250     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

Presbytery  not  long  ago  refused  to  permit 
a  missionary  campaign  within  its  bounds,  on 
the  ground  that  it  would  interfere  with  gifts 
for  other  causes.  Yet  official  reports  showed 
that  this  Presbytery  was  giving  nearly  ten 
times  as  much  to  home  objects  as  to  foreign. 
There  is  a  great  work  to  be  done  in  the  home- 
land, but  it  is  not  helped  in  the  least  by 
opposition  to  foreign  missions.  Giving  to 
world  evangelization  enlarges  the  mind,  broad- 
ens the  sympathies,  and  so  opens  the  springs  of 
benevolence  that  those  who  do  most  for  for- 
eign missions  are  usually  the  very  ones  who  do 
most  for  home  missions.  A/Ir.  Jacob  Riis,  who 
has  toiled  so  indefatigably  for  the  poor  people 
of  New  York  City,  says  that  ''for  every  dol-^ 
lar  you  give  away  to  convert  the  heathen 
abroad,  God  gives  you  ten  dollars'  worth 
of  purpose  to  deal  with  your  heathen  at 
home."  "A  religion,"  adds  Dr.  Clarke,  ''can- 
not be  really  strengthened  at  home  by  de- 
clining to  extend  its  blessings  abroad.  It  is 
a  complete  misunderstanding  of  Christianity 
to  suppose  that  some  Christian  Church  or 
country,  by  concentrating  its  attention  and 
labors  upon  itself,  can  so  accumulate  power 
as  to  be  able  to  turn  in  full  vigor  to  do  its 
Christian  work  for  others  at  some  later  date. 
It  was  said  long  ago  that  Christianity  is  a  com- 
modity of  which  the  more  we  export  the  more 


Home  Church  and  Enterprise  251 

we  have  at  home.     It  is  equally  true  that  the 
less  we  export  the  less  we  may  find  at  home." 

The  pastor  has  the  chief  responsibility  in  oi'pSstoT'''''' 
this  effort  to  arouse  the  Church.  But  not  all 
pastors  are  meeting  their  obligations  in  this 
matter,  and  even  the  most  zealous  pastor  can 
accomplish  little  without  the  support  of  his 
members.  The  first  advance  move  may  need 
to  come  from  some  one  in  the  congregation. 
The  work  must  be  done  whether  the  pastor 
is  willing  to  occupy  his  rightful  place  of  lead- 
ership or  not. 

Appeals  should  not  be  based  solely  on  fi-  conlidVraSJns 
nancial  necessities.  The  cause  is  cheapened 
by  too  much  begging  and  pleading.  The  fact 
that  an  enterprise  wants  money  is  not  a  suflfi- 
cient  reason  why  it  should  receive  it,  nor  is 
the  begging  argument  apt  to  secure  anything 
more  than  the  beggar's  temporary  dole.  Do 
not  apologize  or  talk  about  ''the  needs  of  the 
board."  As  the  late  President  Harrison  pith- 
ily said:  "The  man  whose  grocery  bills  are 
unpaid  might  just  as  well  talk  about  the  needs 
of  his  butler.  Present  your  need,  the  needs 
of  the  Church,  the  needs  of  the  world,  those 
claims  which  Church  membership  implies  and 
which  are  more  than  life  in  that  personal  re- 
lation with  the  great  Head  of  the  Church." 
If  hearers  complain :  "Missions,  missions,  al- 
ways missions;"  reply  in  the  words  of  Bishop 


252     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

Doane  of  Albany:  ''Yes,  always  missions,  be- 
cause they  are  the  life-blood,  the  heart-beat, 
the  lungs-breath  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ/' 
Personal       There  are  many  persons  who  can  contribute 

Devotion  ... 

with  Sound  but  little  money  to  the  missionary  cause,  who 

Judgment  \  .  .  .    .  1         . 

are  able  to  render  service  of  positive  value  by 

devoting  their  energies  to  stimulating  in- 
terest in  the  Church.  Work  of  this  kind  may 
count  for  more  in  the  end  than  large  gifts  that 
are  now  being  received.  Two  things  should 
be  kept  in  mind  to  this  end.  First,  the  service 
should  be  offered  in  the  same  spirit  of  sacri- 
fice which  we  expect  our  missionaries  on  the 
I  field  to  manifest.  The  worker  should  not  be 
discouraged  if  the  obstacles  are  at  first  very 
great,  but  should  work  and  pray  the  way 
through  to  success.  In  the  second  place,  great 
care  must  be  taken  to  avoid  alienating  people 
by  tactless  behavior.  We  often  see  persons 
of  undoubted  zeal  and  consecration  who  make 
the  cause  they  espouse  a  byword  in  the  com- 
munity on  account  of  the  methods  they  employ 
to  advertise  it.  It  would  be  a  good  thing  if 
we  could  see  ourselves  more  frequently  as 
others  see  us;  the  nearest  approach  to  this  is 
the  candid  advice  of  friends  who  have  sound 
judgment. 
^"'  cw;!)n«  We  must  keep  prominent  before  the  Church 
the  call  to  life-serVice  on  the  field.  There  are 
so  many  who  are  not  free  to  go  or  who  are 


Home  Church  and  Enterprise  253 

not  fit  to  go,  that  the  burden  of  proof  rests 
heavily  upon  those  who  have  the  quahnca- 
tions  to  show  that  they  are  exempt.  Num- 
bers of  young  men  and  women  who  have  no 
obligation  that  would  prevent  them  from  ac- 
cepting a  lucrative  business  position  in  a  for- 
eign land  and  whom  the  boards  would  be 
glad  to  appoint  drift  into  other  lines  of  work 
every  year,  largely  because  the  claims  of  for- 
eign missionary  service  have  never  been  per- 
sonally brought  to  their  attention.  If  any 
of  us  would  feel  gratified  at  having  obtained 
for  some  young  friend  the  opportunity  to  earn 
a  good  salary,  we  should  feel  that  we  had  con- 
ferred a  much  greater  favor  by  enabling  him 
to  have  a  personal  share  in  the  spread  of  the 
kingdom  of  God  abroad.  If  the  end  of  life 
is  use  and  not  gain,  we  should  seek  positions 
of  the  greatest  usefulness  both  for  ourselves 
and  for  others. 

Studying,  giving,  and  preaching,  however,  gray'/nlchu^h 
will  be  of  little  avail  unless  praying  accompan- 
ies and  pervades  them.  The  foreign  mission- 
ary enterprise  is  essentially  spiritual  in  char- 
acter, and  the  prayers  of  the  home  Church  are 
a  real  asset  in  conducting  it. 

It  is  sadly  true,  however,  that  many  profes-  ^^^^iem^V^^' 
sing  Christians  never  pray  for  the  missionary  ^^r^nce 
enterprise  from  one  year's  end  to  the  other, 
except  unconsciously  as  they  utter  the  Lord's 


254     AVhy  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

prayer.     What  excuse  can  they  give?     Either 
disbehef  in  the  power  of  prayer  or  sheer  ig- 
norance and  lack  of  interest  would  seem  to  be 
the  only  possible  answers.     The  latter  may  be 
your  fault  or  mine.     There  is  greatly  needed 
some  systematic  effort  to  develop  a  praying 
Church.       Foreign    missions     should   have   a 
stated  place  in  the  private  and  family  prayer 
of  every  Christian.    It  already  has  such  a  place 
in  thousands  of  homes.     Many  of  the  boards 
publish     year-books     in     which     missionaries' 
names  and  some  phase  of  their  work  appear 
in  connection  with  each  day  of  the  year.    Such 
daily  remembrance,  especially  if  supplemented 
by  information  to  be  found  in  the  yearly  re- 
port of  the  board  and  the  missionary  maga- 
zines of  the  Church,  will  in  time  give  one  a 
sympathetic  knowledge  of  the  whole  field  and 
bring  no  small  cheer  to  the  lonely  workers  far 
away.      Englishmen  exulted  in  the  fact  that, 
at  a  given  hour  on  the  day  of  Queen  Vic- 
toria's Jubilee,  June  20,  1897,  "God  save  the 
Queen"  was  sung  in  all  the  churches  and  on 
all   the   ships   of  the   British   empire,   so  that 
with  the  progress  of  the  sun,  jubilant  voices 
upraised  the  national  anthem  westw^ard  over 
oceans  and  continents  until  the  mighty  chorus 
rolled  around  the  world.     In  like  manner,  if 
Christians  in  the  homeland  were  to  lift  their 
voices  in  prayer  for  missions  every  morning, 


Home  Church  and  Enterprise  255 

the  entire  globe  would  be  belted   daily  with 
never-ending  petitions  to  God. 

Such  praying  constitutes  a  more  vital  ele-  ^Fal^^'itHome' 
ment  in  missionary  success  than  is  commonly  ibroa/'''*°'^^ 
supposed.  The  faith  of  the  four  friends  who 
brought  the  palsied  man  to  Christ  was  one 
of  the  essential  factors  in  the  miracle  of  grace 
that  followed.  ''And  Jesus  seeing  their  faith,  ^^ 
saith  unto  the  sick  of  the  palsy,  Son,  thy 
sins  are  forgiven."  The  very  largeness 
of  the  enterprise  summons  us  to  a  mighty  con- 
fidence in  God.  Foreign  missions  is  the  great- 
est task  in  the  w^orld,  but  we  are  not  conduct- 
ing it  alone.  It  was  laid  upon  us  by  him  who 
declared  that  ''all  authority"  was  given  unto 
him  and  that  he  would  be  with  his  disciples  "al- 
ways." He  is  strong  in  power  and  infinite 
in  resources,  "  able  to  save,"  and  he  calls  us 
to  be  coworkers  with  him.  Enthusiam  and 
determination  in  our  response  will  spell  vic- 
tory abroad. 

The  Church  may  well  consider  the  relation  P°--G-enfor 
of  spiritual  power  to  missionary  zeal.     It  is 
a  fundamental  law  of  the  kingdom  that  power 
is  given  to  be  used  for  others. 

The  New  Testament  makes  this  very  clear.   pJifducid  fhe"* 
The  Holy  Spirit  was  given  in  order  that  the  ^^^'y '^»*"«^^'^* 
disciples    might    become    witnesses.^      Before 

ijohn   XV.    26,   27;    xvi.    7,    8;    Acts    i.    8. 


ionary  Advance 


256     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

Pentecost,  they  had  no  interest  in  world  evan- 
gelization; but  when  the  Holy  Spirit  came 
upon  them,  they  became  evangelists  to  a  man. 
The  remainder  of  the  Book  of  Acts  is  a  won- 
derful record  of  evangelistic  spirit  and  ex- 
tension. The  early  Church  was  preeminently 
a  missionary  Church  and  its  members  pro- 
claimed the  gospel  in  almost  every  part  of  the 
then  known  world. 
Deepening  of       j^  would  bc  intcrcstino^  to  cite  in  detail  the 

Spiritual  Life  At-  ^ 

tended  by  Miss-  iHustratious  iucamated  in  Ulfilas,  Columba, 
Raymund  Lull,  and  Von  Welz.  Significant 
also  from  this  view-point  is  the  rise  of  Pietism 
with  its  luminous  names  of  Francke  and 
Spener,  Ziegenbalg  and  Schwartz.  Zinzendorf 
and  Moravianism,  Wesley  and  Methodism, 
have  their  place  in  such  a  study,  for  without 
them  we  could  hardly  understand  the  new  era 
of  missions  which  began  with  Carey.  In 
America,  the  work  of  Brainerd  and  Edwards 
was  directly  related  to  a  new  baptism  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  It  was  not  an  accident  that  sev- 
eral of  the  missionary  organizations  of  the 
nineteenth  century  were  born  during  the  great 
revivals  of  the  first  two  decades,  or  a  mere 
coincidence  that  the  forward  movement  in 
missions  that  characterized  the  closing  years 
of  that  century  dated  from  the  extraordinary 
revivals  of  1875-6.  The  teaching  of  history 
on  this  subject  is  unbroken.     Every  deepen- 


Home  Church  and  Enterprise  257 

ing  of  the  spiritual  life  has  been  followed 
by  a  new  effort  to  give  the  gospel  to  the 
world;  but  there  is  no  record  anywhere  of  the 
Holy  Spirit's  power  remaining  with  any 
Church  which  did  not  use  it  in  witnessing 
for  Christ. 

Here  is  one  cause  of  the  poverty  of  spir-  TheChmchMust 

™,  ^,  .        .        ..     ,  "^  1       Live  More  With 

itual  life.  The  Church  is  living  too  much  christ 
for  itself.  God  has  already  given  it  enough  •■  y^ 
power  to  evangelize  Europe  and  America  half  1 
a  dozen  times  over.  Is  it  reasonable  to  suppose 
that  he  will  increase  that  power  simply  for  this 
purpose?  This  suggests  the  remedy  both  for 
a  low  spiritual  vitality  at  home  and  the  com- 
parative failure  to  support  the  missionary  en- 
terprise on  an  adequate  scale.  The  Church 
must  be  spiritually  quickened.  Foreign  mis- 
sions is  primarily  a  spiritual  movement  and 
only  spiritual  people  will  adequately  maintain 
it.  Dr.  Arthur  Mitchell  was  wont  to  say: 
''The  cause  of  foreign  missions  goes  down  to 
the  roots  of  the  spiritual  life,  and  we  need 
look  for  no  abundance  of  fruit  until  that  life 
is  enriched."  When  Henry  Martyn,  as  he 
lay  burning  with  fever  in  Persia,  received  a 
letter  asking  how  the  missionary  interest  of 
the  Church  at  home  could  be  increased,  the  dy- 
ing saint  replied:  'Tell  them  to  live  more 
with  Christ;  to  catch  more  of  his  spirit;  for 
the  spirit  of  Christ  is  the  spirit  of  missions, 


258     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

and  the  nearer  we  get  to  him  the  more  intense- 
ly missionary  ~we  must  become." 
To-pay'5imper-        Ncver  bcfore  has  the  summons  been  so  im- 

ative  Summons 

perative  as  it  is  to-day.  Practically  the  whole 
non-christian  world  is  now  accessible.  Men 
in  other  spheres  are  recognizing  the  opportu- 
nity. Governments  are  pressing  into  the  open 
doors  and  straining  every  nerve  to  influence 
tliese  awakenin^y  nations.  Business  firms  in 
Europe  and  America  are  keenly  alive  to  the 
situation  and  are  sending  their  agents  to  the 
remotest  parts  of  the  earth.  The  Greek  and 
Roman  Catholic  Churches  are  pouring  priests 
and  brothers,  monks  and  nuns,  into  heathen 
lands  and  spending  vast  sums  in  equipping  them 
with  churches  and  schools.  The  Mohamme- 
dans are  flooding  Africa  with  zealous  mission- 
aries. The  Protestant  Churches  should  re- 
double their  efforts,  that  they  may  mold 
these  new  conditions  before  hostile  in- 
fluences become  established.  It  is  not  a 
rhetorical  figure,  but  the  sober  truth  that 
it  would  take  treble  the  sum  that  the 
Churches  are  now  giving  to  handle  the 
situation  in  an  adequate  way. 
"^fwe^wni"  Each  Church  should  immediately  consider 
its  distinct  missionary  responsibility  and  effect- 
ively plan  to  meet  it.  Many  Churches  are  al- 
ready doing  this,  and  the  others  should  follow 
their  example.     There  is  no  valid  reason  why 


F,'^»IH^allj 


BAPObX 


I 


z 


jj'f^-i:)!!" 


/lH^\EDNAGAIt 
INDIA 


^^^ 


SEOUL 
KOREA 


fcW^^ 


PAOTING    Ft 
CHINA 


^s:. 


Home  Church  and  Enterprise  259 

every  city  and  village  on  the  planet  should  not 
hear  the  gospel  within  the  next  fifty  years,  and 
have,  too,  a  native  Church  so  far  developed 
that  it  could  assume  the  chief  duty  of  com- 
pleting  the   work.      This    is   the   tremendous 
question  of  the  day:  Will  the  Church  rise  to 
the   opportunity   which   confronts   her?     The 
cause  of  Christ  is  straitened,  not  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  not  by  the  heathen,  but  only  by  our- 
selves.    We  believe,  with  Father  Hecker,  that  (  ,/ 
"a  body  of  free  men,  who  love  God  with  all  t 
their  might,   and  yet  know  how  to  cling  to-  ' 
gether,   could  conquer  this  modern  world  of 
ours."     "We  can  do  it,  if  we  will." 

We  are  not  prophets,  but  as  we  face  the  ingM^ovemenT^"' 
future,  may  we  not  see  a  vision,  not  the  base- 
less dream  of  the  enthusiast,  but  the  reason- 
able expectation  of  those  who  believe  that  the 
divine  Hand  guides  the  destinies  of  men. 
This  vision  is  that  the  movement  for  the  evan- 
gelization of  the  world  will  grow  to  more  and 
more  majestic  proportions  until  all  men  shall 
know  the  Lord.  Reports  from  widely  sepa- 
rated fields  amply  justify  this  vision.  Every 
mail  is  burdened  with  them.  Apart  from  the 
rapidly  increasing  number  of  converts,  there 
are  unmistakable  signs  that  a  great  movement 
has  begun.  The  very  fact  that  heathen  sys- 
tems are  passing  from  indifference  to  hostility 
and  feel  obliged  to  conceal  their  coarser  prac- 


26o     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

tises  and  to  emphasize  their  better  features  is 
a  tribute  to  the  growing  power  of  Christian- 
ity. Society  in  Asia  is  becoming  more  ashamed 
of  open  vice.  Standards  of  conduct  are  grow- 
ing purer.  The  character  of  Christ  is  univer- 
sally conceded  to  be  the  loftiest  in  history. 
What  Benjamin  Kidd  calls  the  altruistic  ideas 
of  Christianity  have  been  liberated  in  non- 
christian  nations  and  they  are  slowly  but 
surely  transforming  them.  The  traveler 
in  those  vast  continents  becomes  con- 
scious of  the  working  of  mighty  forces 
that  are  creating  conditions  more  favor- 
able to  the  rapid  triumph  of  the  gos- 
pel. He  is  impressed,  not  so  much  by  the 
actual  number  of  those  already  converted,  as 
by  the  strength  of  the  current  which  is  sweep- 
ing majestically  toward  the  goals  of  God.  He 
feels,  with  Gibson,  that  the  situation  is  sat- 
isfactory; not  that  we  are  contented  with  our- 
selves or  with  our  work,  but  that  "d.  crucial 
experiment  has  been  made.  We  know  what 
can  be  done  and  can  predict  results."  We  see 
that  we  are  in  the  trend  of  the  divine  purpose 
and  that  ''  his  day  is  marching  on." 
^eip°n"g  NJthi'nl  "May  the  constraining  memories  of  the 
Back  cross  of  Christ  and  that  great  love  wherewith 
he  loved  us  be  so  in  us  that  we  may  pass  that 
love  on  to  those  who  are  perishing.  May 
he  touch  all  our  hearts  with  the  spirit  of  self- 


Home  Church  and  Enterprise  261 

sacrifice  and  with  the  inspiration  of  that  love 
of  his  which,  when  he  came  to  redeem  the 
world,  kept  nothing  back!" 

QUESTIONS  ON  CHAPTER  IX 

Aim  :    To   Realize   the    Personal    Responsibility   of 
Ourselves  and  Other  Christians  at  Home 

1.  Summarize  as  strikingly  as  possible  a  single 
conclusion  you  have  reached  from  each  of  the 
preceding   chapters. 

2.  In  view  of  the  need  of  the  work,  state  what 
you  consider  to  be  the  duty  of  the  average 
Christian. 

3.  Compare  the  cost  of  the  foreign  missionary 
enterprise  in  men  and  money  with  that  of 
the  American  navy. 

4.  Which  is  worse,  a  citizen  who  dodges  his  taxes, 
or  a  Christian  who  dodges  his  foreign  mis- 
sionary obligation?  Give  reasons  for  your 
view. 

5.  What  proportion  of  the  20,000,000  members 
of  evangelical  Churches  in  the  United  States 
would  need  to  go  abroad  to  supply  the  need 
for  men? 

6.  What  would  be  the  weekly  assessment  on  each 
Church  member  to  raise  the  additional  funds 
needed  ? 

7.  How  does  the  fact  that  so  many  are  ignorant  or 
indifferent  affect  the  responsibility  of  those 
who  know  something  about  foreign  missions 
and  are  interested  in  it? 


2(y2     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

8.  What  place  ought  a  subject  so  important  as 
foreign  missions  to  have  in  the  education  of 
every   Christian  ? 

9.  How  does  it  seem  to  you  to  compare  in  im- 
portance with  ancient  history? 

10.  How  can  we  secure  more  time  for  religious 
education? 

11.  How  can  we  secure  teachers  with  better 
training? 

12.  Arrange  the  subjects  that  should  be  included 
in  the  curriculum  of  religious  education  in  the 

order  of  their  importance. 

13.  What  are  the  principal  advantages  of  the  mis- 
sion   study    class    as    an    educational    agency? 

14.  What  special  responsibility  do  you  think  rests 
upon  those  who  have  been  members  of  a  mission 
study  class? 

15.  Write  out  what  you  think  might  be  done  in 
organizing  mission  study  classes  in  your  own 
congregation. 

16.  What  do  you  consider  the  principal  reason 
why  comparatively  so  little  money  is  given 
to  foreign  missions? 

17.  What  plans  do  you  think  would  be  most  effec- 
tive in  increasing  the  amount  given  by  your 
own  congregation? 

18.  What  are  the  principal  motives  that  should  be 
urged  in  making  an  appeal  for  money  for  for- 
eign missions? 

19.  Mention  several  ways  in  which  a  home  Christ- 
ian of  limited  means  might  aid  the  missionary 
enterprise. 

20.  What  missionary  organization  ought  each  local 
congregation    to    have  ? 

21.  What    sj'stematic    methods    should    the    local 


Home   Church   and   Enterprise         263 

congregation  adopt  to  raise  up  volunteers  for 
the  foreign  field? 

22.  How  personal  do  you  think  you  have  a  right 
to  become  in  suggesting  foreign  missionary 
service  to  another? 

23.  What  good  excuses  can  you  give  for  not  pray- 
ing for  foreign  missions? 

24.  What  methods  can  you  suggest  for  promoting 
prayer  for   foreign  missions   in  a  community? 

25.  What  suggestions  for  subjects  of  prayer  have 
you   gained   from  this   course? 

26.  In  what  ways  will  interest  in  foreign  missions 
help   home   missions  ? 

27.  Is  any  other  cause  so  neglected  in  proportion 
to  its   importance  as   is   foreign  missions? 

28.  Sum  up  the  principal  needs  of  the  foreign 
missionary  enterprise. 

29.  Which  of  these  needs  in  your  opinion  is 
being  most  adequately  and  which  least  ade- 
quately met? 

30.  Why  are  these  needs  especially  urgent  just 
now  ? 

References    for    Advanced    Study. — Chapter    IX. 

I.     Christian  Stewardship} 

Bosworth :  The  New  Testament  Conception  of  the 

Disciple  and  His  Money.     (Pamphlet) 

Students   and  the  Missionary   Problem    (London 

Conference),  153-166. 

Students    and    the    Modern    Missionary    Crusade 

(Nashville    Convention),    606-609. 

^Nearly  every  mission  board  or  society  can  furnish  good 
pamphlets  on  this  subject,  so  the  Secretary  of  the  denomina- 
tional mission  board  society  should  be  addressed. 


264     Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions 

The    Church    and    Missionary    Education    (Pitts- 
burg Convention),  133-138. 

World-Wide  Evangelization  (Toronto  Conven- 
tion), 178-199. 

II.    Prayer  and  Missions. 

Missionary  Issues  of  the  Twentieth  Century  (New 
Orleans  Conference),  80-88. 

Mott:  The  Pastor  and  Modern  Missions.  V, 
Murray:  The  Key  to  the  Missionary  Problem, 
IV,  V,  IX. 

Pierson:  The  New  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  Part  II, 
Chap.  I ;  Part  V,  Chap.  XIII. 
The    Church   and    Missionary    Education    (Pitts- 
burg Convention),  153-169. 


SELECT  BIBLIOGRAPHY 


205 


SELECT   BIBLIOGRAPHY 


General 

Barton,  James  L.  The  Missionary  and  His  Critics. 
5^  X  7M ;  PP-  235 ;  1906.  Fleming  H.  Revell  Co., 
New  York.    $1.      net. 

A  trenchant  reply  to  criticisms  made  by  tourists,  journalists, 
foreign  residents,  government  officials,  and  others,  in  regard  to 
foreign  mission  work. 

Barton,  James  L.  The  Unfinished  Task.  5  x  71/2. 
pp.  211;  1908.  Student  Volunteer  Movement  for 
Foreign  Missions,  New  York.     50  cents. 

A    splendid    review    of    the    meaning,    obligation,    extent,    ob- 
stacles,   and    success    of    Christian    missions. 

Bashford,  James  W.  God's  Missionary  Plan  for  the 
World.  5  X  7J^;  pp.  viii,  178;  1907.  Eaton  & 
Mains,  New  York.    75  cents. 

The  Biblical  basis  for  missions  and  the  divine  method  of 
work.     Illustrated  by  work  in   China. 

Clarke,  William  Newton.  A  Study  of  Christian  Mis- 
sions. s%  X  7H',  PP-  268;  1900.  Charles  Scribner's 
Sons,  New  York.     $1.25. 

A  thoughtful  volume  on  missions  and  mission  theory  writ- 
ten   from    the    modern    view-point. 

267 


268     Why  and   How   of   Foreign   Missions 

Dennis,  James  S.  Christian  Missions  and  Social  Pro- 
gress. 3  Vols.  Illustrated;  6^  x  g.  Vol.  1^ 
pp.  xvi.  468;  1897:  Vol.  II,  pp.  xxvi.  486;  1899: 
Vol.  Ill,  pp.  xxxvi.  675 ;  1906.  Fleming  H.  Revell 
Co.,  New  York.    $2.50  per  vol. 

Gives  a  full  view  of  the  social  problems  of  the  non-christ- 
ian  world,  and  their  solution  by  Christian  missions.  Un^ 
doubtedly  the  most  superior  work  ever  published  on  this  sub- 
ject. 

Hall,  Charles  Cuthbert.  The  Universal  Elements  of 
the  Christian  Religion.  5^^  x  7^ ;  pp.  309;  1905. 
Fleming  H.  Revell  Co.,  New  York.     $1.25. 

A  conception  of  the  world-position  of  Christianity  from 
the  modern  view-point. 

Lawrence,  Edward  A.  Introduction  to  the  Study  of 
Foreign  Missions.  5  x  7J^ ;  pp.  143;  1901.  Stu- 
dent Volunteer  Movement  for  Foreign  Missions, 
New  York.     40  cents. 

Contains  chapters  selected  from  Modern  Missions  in  the  East, 
bearing  upon  some  of  the  important  phases  of  missionary 
work  and  the  work  of  the  missionary. 

Mackenzi-e,  William  Douglas.  Christianity  and  the  Pro- 
gress of  Man.  5  by  7^;  pp.  250;  1897.  Fleming 
H.  Revell  Co.,  New  York.    $1.25. 

A  splendid  discussion  of  the  work  of  the  foreign  missionary 
as  pioneer,  translator,  educator,  and  a  factor  in  uplifting  the 
people. 

Mott,  John  R.  The  Evangelization  of  the  World  in 
this  Generation.  5x7^;  pp.  245 ;  1900.  Student 
Volunteer  Movement  for  Foreign  Missions,  New 
York.     $1.00. 

A  strong  argument  setting  forth  the  meaning,  obligation,  pos- 
sibilities,  and   essentials    of   world-wide   conquest. 


Select  Bibliography  269 

Speer,  Robert  E.  Missions  and  Modern  History.  2 
Vols.  sy2  X  8J/2 ;  pp.  714,  1904.  Fleming  H. 
Revell  Co.,  New  York.     $4.00. 

An  excellent  discussion  of  twelve  important  movements  af- 
fecting missions. 

Welsh,  R.  E.  The  Challenge  to  Christian  Missions. 
5  X  7}i ;  pp.  188 ;  1902.  R.  H.  Allenson,  London. 
Cloth,  60  cents;  paper,   15  cents. 

A  convincing  reply  to  the  criticisms  that  foreign  missions 
cause  political  disturbances,  are  unnecessary,  and  produce  no 
results. 

Lindsay,  Anna  R.  B.  Gloria  Christi.  5x7^;  pp.  ix, 
302;  1908.  The  Macmillan  Company,  New  York. 
Cloth,  50  cents ;  paper,  30  cents. 

An   outline   study   of   missions   and    social   progress. 


Religions 

Menzies,  Allan.  History  of  Religion.  5  x  7;  pp.  xiii, 
438;  1895.  Charles  Scribner's  Sons,  New  York. 
$1.50. 

A    most    satisfactory    review    of    ancient    and    present-day    reli- 
gions   from   the  modern    standpoint. 

Religions  of  Mission  Fields  as  Viewed  by  Protestant 
Missionaries.  5  x  y%;  pp.  x,  300;  1905.  Student 
Volunteer  Movement  for  Foreign  Missions,  New 
York.     50   cents. 

A   brief  yet  comprehensive   statement   by  missionaries   of   nine 
of   the  most   important   non-christian   religions. 


270     Why  and   How  of   Foreign   Missions 

Africa 

Jack,  James  W.  Daybreak  in  Livingstonia.  Illustrated; 
map;  5^  x  8;  pp.  371;  1900.  Fleming  H.  Revell 
Co.,   New   York.     $1.50. 

A  most  excellent  discussion  of  missionary  methods  based  upon 
the  work  of  a  great  mission  station  in  Africa. 


Naylor,  Wilson  S.  Daybreak  in  the  Dark  Continent. 
Illustrated;  maps;  sH  x  7^ ;  pp.  xiv,  315;  1908. 
Young  People's  Missionary  Movement  of  the 
United  States  and  Canada,  New  York.     50  cents. 

The  best  brief,  yet  comprehensive  review  of  Africa. 

South  America 

Brown,  Hubert  W.  Latin  America.  Illustrated;  5^ 
X  7^;  pp.  308;  1901.  Fleming  H.  Revell  Co., 
New  York.    $1.20. 

The    best    general    account    of    the    people,    their    worship,    and 
missionary  work,   in    South   America. 

Chinese  Empire 

Gibson,  J.  Campbell.  Mission  Problems  and  Mission 
Methods  in  South  China.  Illustrated;  map; 
5^  X  8;  pp.  334;  1901.  Fleming  H.  Revell  Co., 
New  York.     $1.50. 

An     excellent     volume,     treating     missionary     problems,     their 
failures,  successes,  and  achievements. 

Smith,  Arthur  H.  China  and  America  To-Day.  5%  x 
7M;  PP-  256;  1907.  Fleming  H.  Revell  Co.,  New 
York.     $1.25  net. 

A    stimulating    discussion     of    the     relation    of    the     United 
States    to    China. 


Select  Bibliography  271 

Soothill,  W.  E.  A  Typical  Mission  in  China.  Illus- 
trated; 5^  X  S%;  pp.  xi,  293;  1907.  Fleming 
H.  Revell  Co.,  New  York.     $1.50. 

Mission   problems  and  mission  methods  discussed   by  one  who 
las  had  wide  experience  and  knows  how  to  write. 


'entenary  Missionary  Conference  (Shanghai,  1907). 
Illustrated;  5^  x  9;  pp.  xxxvii,  823.  American 
Tract  Society,  New  York.     $2.50. 


This  report  contains  the  best  material  on  missionary  work 


ihina 


Indian  Empire 

Cochrane,  Henry  Park.  Among  the  Burmans.  Illus- 
trated; 5^  X  8;  pp.  281 ;  1904.  Fleming  H.  Revell 
Co.,  New  York.    $1.25. 

Treats    Burmese   religions,   superstitions,   and  social   customs, 
ind  the  results  of  missionary  work,   as  seen  by  a  missionary. 

duller,  Mrs.  Marcus  B.  The  Wrongs  of  Indian  Woman- 
hood. Illustrated;  5J4  x  7^;  pp.  302;  1900. 
Fleming  H.  Revell  Co.,  New  York.    $1.25. 

Probably  the  best  discussion  of  the  wrongs  imposed  by 
leathenism  upon  the  women  of  India. 

[ones,  John  P.  India's  Problem;  Krishna  or  Christ. 
Illustrated ;  5^  x  8% ;  pp.  381 ;  1903.  Fleming 
H.  Revell  Co.,  New  York.     $1.50. 

Except  for  a  general  view  in  the  first  chapter,  the  whole 
)Ook  is  devoted  to  a  discussion  of  the  religions  of  India,  with 
;hc    emphasis    upon    Hinduism.     An    extremely    valuable    volume. 


272     Why  and  How  of  Foreign   Missions 

Japan 

Bacon,    Alice    Mabel.      Japanese    Girls    and    Women. 
4^/4   X  6}i;  pp.  2,2,Z',   iSpi-   Houghton,   Mifflin  & 
Co.,   Nev/  York.     $1.25. 
Gives    an    excellent    view    of   the   womanhood    of    Japan,    espe- 
cially the  life  of  the  women  of  the  higher  class. 

De  Forest,  John  H.     Sunrise  in  the  Sunrise  Kingdom. 

Illustrated;  map;  5^  x  7^ ;  pp.  233;  1904.    Young 

People's    Missionary    Movement    of    the    United 

States  and  Canada,  New  York.     50  cents. 

A    brief   and    interesting   account    of    Japan,    its    people,    their 

religions,    and    missionary   work. 

Korea 

Gale,    James    S.      The   Vanguard.     Illustrated;    5J^    x 
8;  pp.  320;   1904.     Fleming  H.  Revell  Co.,  New 
York.     $1.50. 
A    story    of    missionaries    at    work    in    Korea,    illustrating    the 

effect    of    Christian   missions. 

Underwood,  L.  H.  Fifteen  Years  Among  the  Top- 
Knots.  Illustrated;  5J^  x  8;  pp.  xviii,  271;  1904. 
American  Tract  Society,  New  York,  $1.50. 

While  this  work  has  a  denominational  cast,  yet  it  mentions 
other  missionaries  and  gives  a  most  interesting  peep  into  Korean 
life. 

Oceania 

Brown,  Arthur  Judson.  The  New  Era  in  the  Philip- 
pines. Illustrated;  maps;  5J/2  x  8;  pp.  314;  1903. 
Fleming  H.  Revell  Co.,  New  York,  $1.25.  Paper- 
covered  edition,  without  illustrations.  Student 
Volunteer  Movement  for  Foreign  Missions, 
New  York,  35  cents. 

A  most  interesting  account  of  a  tour  by  a  discerning  missionary 
secretary. 


Select  Bibliography  273 

Paton,  James.  John  G.  Paton's,  Autobiography 
Hebrides.  Illustrated;  map;  5^  x  8;  pp.  xv,  869; 
1898.    Fleming  H.  Revell  Co.,  New  York.    $1.50. 

Probably    the    most    stimulating    and    helpful    account    of    a 
modern   missionary  apostle. 

Stuntz,  Homer  C.  The  Philippines  and  the  Far  East. 
Illustrated;  maps;  5^  x  8;  pp.  514;  1904.  Jen- 
nings and  Graham,  Chicago.    $1.75. 

A   general   view   of   the   Islands,   the   people,   the   government, 
and  missionary  work,  by  one  with  first-hand  experience. 


INDEX 


275 


INDEX 


Adherents,  The  status  of, 
149 

Administration,  46,   51,   57 

"Advance  agent  of  civilza- 
tion,"  The,  17 

Africa,  9,  17,  23,  83,  loi, 
105,  184,  192,  212,  227,  258 ; 
a  recruiting  trip  in,  136, 
137;  Alfred  Marling  dy- 
ing in,  224 

African  traits,  52,  100,  152 

Age  limit,  The,  69 

Aim  in  Mission  work,  The, 
8-22,  235 

"Alien  civilization,"  An, 
199 

Allahabad,  Plague  scenes  in, 

133 
All-round    candidate,     The, 

71 

American  Baptist  Mission- 
ary Union,  38 

American  Board  of  Com- 
missioners For  Foreign 
Missions,  37 

Ancestors,  The  white 
man's,  202 

Apostolic  succession,  16 

Appeals    to    high     motives. 

Application   blanks,   82 
Argument       from       results, 

The,    19,   23 
Asiatic,       Christians,       164; 

Churches,     164-169 
Asiatics,     Creeds     of,     163; 

colleges     established     by, 

126 
Associate  missionaries,  78 


Asylum,  Dr.  Kerr's,  218 
Attitude    of   the    Church   at 

home,  The  proper,  170 
Avison,    A   patient    of    Dr., 

131 
Awakening,    Nations,    258 ; 

of  China,  189 

"Bachelors'  hall,"  77 

Bangkok,  Incident  in  the 
school  at,  123 

Baptist  Church,  Mission 
methods,  36,  38 

Barbaric  ancestors.  Our, 
202 

Barnes,  L.  Call,  quoted, 
234 

Barrett,   Hon.  John,    192 

Barton,  James  L.,  quoted, 
89,  90,  176,  210 

Bible,  Asiatic  origin,  169; 
circulation,  127-129 ; 
Societies,  128 ;  transla- 
tion,   T26,    129 

Bishop,  Mrs.  Isabella  Bird, 
186 

Bliss,  Dr.  Edwin  M.,  quot- 
ed, 42 

Boards,  Duties  and  work  of 
mission,  36-43;  their  ob- 
ject in  controlling  gifts,  54 

Boxer  uprising.  The  187 

Brainerd,  David,  referred 
to,  256 

Brown,  Governor,  quoted, 
72 

Browning,  quoted,  141 

Bryan,  William  Jennings, 
186 


277 


278 


Index 


Bryce,  James,  quoted,  176 
Burial    services    contrasted, 

226 
Business  plans.  Modern  co- 
lossal, 244 

Call,    Missionary,   82-84;    to 

life    service   on    the    field, 

252,   253 
Campaign,  not  crusade,  59 
Candidates,      Selection      of, 

67-84 
Canton,    A    visitor    to,    180, 

181 :   Dr.   Kerr  of,  217 
Carey,    William,    referred 

23,  256 
Carroll,  Dr.  H.  K.,  referred 

to,  203 
Central    agency   needed.    A, 

34,   35 

Chalmers,  James,  quoted, 
221 ;  referred  to,  220 

Chang  Chih-tung  quoted,  on 

Confucianism,  201 

Changes  in  world  con- 
ditions,  Significant,  4 

Charity  at  home,  193 

Cheerfulness  a  requisite  on 
the  mission  field,  74 

Chesnut,    Dr.    Eleanor,    222 

Children,  in  heathen  lands, 
121;  of  missionaries,  78; 
separation    from,   216 

China,  23,  loi,  103,  112,  121, 
137,  141,  163,  200,  214,  216, 
217,  227  235 ;  awakening 
of,  189;  martyrs  in,  187, 
188;  visitors  in,  100 

China's  Only  Hope,  quoted, 
201 

Chinese,  Bible,  128;  other 
books,  129;  preference  for 
literature,   129 

Christian  Asiatic,  169 ; 
forms  the  central  mis- 
sionary motive,  5-17;  way 


to  influence  the  world,  198 

Church   agencies,   Z7 

Church  of  England  me- 
thods, 2)7 

Churches   and  workers,   194 

Civilization  as  a  missionary 
motive,  17,  18 

Civilizations,  of  some  non- 
christian   lands,    21 

Clarke,  Dr.  William  N., 
quoted,  2,  41,  57,  93,  250 

Clerks  in  Oriental  countries, 
93 

Colleges,  as  a  part  of  mis- 
sionary educational  work, 
122-126;  established  by 
Asiatics,  126 

Colquhoun,  quoted,   184 

Comfort,   Ideas  of,    103 

Command  of  Christ,  The, 
10,  16 

Committee  and  departments, 
Duties  of,  43 

Common  sense  most  use- 
ful, 71 

Compensation  not  attempt- 
ed, 91 

Complex  work  in  foreign 
fields,   34 

Confucianism,  Chang  Chih- 
tung  on,  201 

Conger,  Hon,  E.  H.,  quoted, 
180 

Congregatonal  Church 
methods,  z^,  27 

Converts,  some  statistics 
concerning,    187 

Cost  of   administration,  46 

Cost,  of  home  Churches  and 
institutions,  195,  196;  of 
living    in    heathen    lands, 

94 
Cows,  Respect  accorded  to, 

122 
Criticism,    An    absurd,    96; 


Index 


279 


can  be  legitimate,  177, 
178;  from  friends,  178; 
from  the  ignorant,  178- 
182;  from  the  unsympa- 
thetic, 182-184;  from  the 
vile  and  criminal,  184, 
185 ;  other  current  types, 
185-20.=; 

Cuba,  Our  experience  in, 
103 

Cust,  Dr.,  quoted,  34 

Darwin,      Charles,      quoted, 

185,  186 
Deaf-mutes,  Appeal  of  the, 

218 
Debt,  The  question  of,  48 
Denby,    Hon.    Charles,    186, 

187,  190,  199,  201 
Denominational    boards,    36 
Despisers  of  difficulties,  73 
Discomforts       of       mission 

lands,  93,  212,  213 
Dispensaries,  133 
Divine     guidance     assured, 

t68;  looked  for,  60 
Doane,   Bishop,  quoted,  252 
Doctrinal    views,    of    candi- 
dates,   75,    'jd;    of    native 

Churches,    163-169 
Donors,    Conspicuous,    191 ; 

perplexing      requests      of 

some,  50 
Dnnlap,  Rev.  Eugene  P.,  139 
Durand,   Sir  Mortimer,   186 
Duties,      The     missionarj'-'s 

varied,  221 
Duty   and   apparent   failure, 

21 

Early  Church  methods,  150, 

197 
Edicts,    Favorable    Chinese, 

189 


Education,  Missionary,  the 
need  and  means  of,  239, 
240 

Educational  work  as  a  mis- 
sion agency,   120-126 

Edwards,  Jonathan,  256 

Ellis,    William    T.,    quoted, 

Emperor's  rescript.  The, 
201 

Empress  Dowager  of  China, 
gifts  from,  191;  New 
Testament  presented  to 
the,  128 

England  and  America,  Ori- 
entals educated  in,  158,159 

England  and  Ireland,  In- 
come of  churches  in,  196 

English  officer  and  for- 
eign   missionary,    181 

Errors  of  judgment,  57 

Europe,  The  gospel  in,  140 

Evangelistic  work  as  a 
mission  agency,  I34-I37 

Evangelization,  The  world's, 

13 

Evangelizing,    the    process, 

150-153 

Executive  ability  of  candi- 
dates,  71 

Exempt,    A    few    may    be, 

253 
Expense    of   administration, 
46-48 

Faith  work.  Missions  a,  60 
Faithful   converts,   187 
Fakir,  The  East  Indian,  106 
Falsehoods    circulated,     185 
Farrar,  Canon,  quoted,  204 
Financial    methods,    44.    48 
Fitch,  Mrs.  George  F.,  i.qq 
Food     and     supplies.     The 
cost  of,  95 


28o 


Index 


Forman,   Dr.   John,   quoted, 

105 

Foster,  Hon.  John  W.,   i86 
Francke,  referred  to,  256 
Functions,      The      mission- 
ary's varied,  71,  72,  221 
Funds  given  visiting  Orien- 
tals often  misapplied,  158, 

Fusan,    Korea,    Missionary 
site  at.   III 


Gains,  Proportionate,  203 

Galloway,  Charles  B.,  quot- 
ed, 210 

Galpin,  Frederick,  quoted, 
148 

Gambling  Combatted  in 
Siam,    139 

General  Assembly  of  Pres- 
byterian Church,  action 
of,  Z7 

General  Conference  of 
Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  action  of,  2)7^  40 

Gibson,  J.  C,  quoted,  155, 
260 

Gifts,  Significant,  191 

Gilmour,  James,  in  Mon- 
golia, 23;  quoted,  84 

Giving,  An  example  in,  96; 
appeals  for,  251;  educa- 
tion in,  244;  liberal,  249; 
proportionate,   248 

Gladstone,  Wm.  E.,  quoted, 
167 

"Good  enough"  religions, 
200 

Gospel,  in  Europe,  The,  140; 
work  of  the,  138;  more 
perfect  interpretation  of 
the,   169 

Grant,  Qualities  of  General, 
7Z 


Hale,  E.  E.,  quoted,  228 
Hall,   Dr.   John,   quoted,  47 
Hang-chou  to  Shanghai,  195 
Hardships  lessened,  211 
Harris,  Dr.,  in  Syria,  132 
Harrison,  Benjamin,  quoted, 

176 
Hart,   Sir  Robert,   186 
Heathenism,  Cruel  and  im- 
moral,  218 
Hecker,  Father,  quoted,  259 
Hepburn,  Mrs.,  of  Japati,  97 
Higher     schools,     Influence 

of,  122,   123 
Holcombe,     Hon.     Chester, 

quoted,  200 
Holy    Spirit's    power,    The, 

257 
Home    and    foreign    fields. 

The,  249 
Homs,       in       Syria,       Dr., 

Harris  in,  132 
Hospitality,       Requirements 

of  Eastern,  99,  100 
Hospitals,  dispensaries,   and 
patients,  Statistics  of,  133 
Houses    of    natives    and    of 

missionaries,   no 
Hunter,   Sir  William,  quot- 
ed, 217 

Ignorance,  criticisms  from, 
178-182;  dissipated,  3 

Illness,  Treatment  of,  in 
heathen  lands,  131 

Income  of  boards  uncertain, 

49 

Indemnity,  The  Chinese,  192 

Independent,    societies,    35, 

104,   107;  spirit  in  Japan, 

162 

India,  21,  23,   103,   121,   128, 

137,  141,  163,  226;  attempt 

to   convert,    15;    mistaken 

independent  efforts  in,  105- 


Index 


281 


107;  princes'  gifts  to  mis- 
sions,   191 ;    toil    of    mis- 
sionaries amid  the  plague, 
212 
Indifferent  Christians,  15 
Individualism,      Spasmodic, 

55 
Industrial  training,  70 
Intellectual  tests  of  candi- 
dates, 68-70 
Interference,  a  criticism,  1S8 
Interior,  The,  quoted,  40,  45 
Itineration,    Details   of,    135 

Japan,  21,  35,  97,  121,  141, 
163;  gifts  from  the 
Mikado,  191 ;  independent 
spirit,  162 ;  licentious 
tendency  in  society,  218; 
test  of  missionary  fidelity, 
124 

Jerome,  St.,  on  the  early 
Britons,  202 

Jessup,   Dr.,   Henry  H.,  41, 

94 

"Jesus  people,"  The,  140 
Johnston,  Sir  Harry  H.,  186 

Keith-Falconer,    quoted,    83 
Kerr,  Dr.  John  G.,  94.  217 
Kidd,      Benjamin,      quoted, 

140,  215,  260 
King,    Hon.    Hamilton,    139 
Kingsley,  Mary  H.,  227 
Knowledge  diffused,  3 
Korea,    Christians    in,    153; 

gifts    from   the   Emperor, 

191 

Languages,  Ability  to  ac- 
quire, 69 

Laos  mission,  An  experi- 
ence in,  135;  great  in- 
crease in  prices,  95 

Lawrence,    Dr.,   quoted.    106 


Lawrence  Lord,  referred  to, 

186 
Lawsuits,     Interference     in 

native,   188 
Laymen,    effective    methods 

for,    247-249;    witness    of 

widely  traveled,  184 
Leonard,  Dr.  D.  L.,  referr- 
ed to,  203 
Li     Hung-chang,     and     the 

New      Testament,       128 ; 

friendly  words,  189 
Liberty      in      method      for 

Christians,  165 
Lien-chou,  Mob  at,  222 
Literary  work  as  a  mission 

agency,  126-130 
Literature,    compared    with 

preaching,  129 
"Live    as    the   heathen    do," 

100-103;      Dr.      Forman's 

attempt,  105 
Livingstone,   David,  quoted, 

79 
Lowrie,  Dr.,  226 
Lowry,  Dr.  H.  H.,  94 
Lull,  Raymund,  256 

Macaulay,  T.  B.,  quoted,  93 

Machle,  Dr.  and  Mrs., 
martyrs,  222 

^Mackenzie,  William  Doug- 
las, quoted,  234 

Manchuria,  Converts  in, 
152 

ATarling,  Alfred,  224 

Marriage  as  a  factor  with 
candidates,   76-78 

Martyn,  Henry,  quoted,  257 

Martyrs'  graves,  220 

McCormick.  Mr.  Frederick, 
quoted,  184 

McGilvary,   Dr.   Daniel,    135 

Medical  !\Iissions,  18 

Medical    work,    130 


282 


Index 


Mencius,  23 

Method  necessary,  247 

Methodist  Episcopal 
Church    methods,   36-40 

Mikado,  Mission  gifts  from 
the,  191 

Mills,  Mrs.  A.  T.,  of  Che- 
foo,  218 

Mission  board,  defined,  36; 
how  constituted  in  the 
several  denominations,  36- 
38;  members,  39,  40;  sec- 
retaries, 40,  41 ;  sessions, 
41 ;  working  plans,  41-61 

Mission,  presses,  127;  study 
and  study  classes,  241-243 

Mission  Problems  and  Mis- 
sion Methods  in  South 
China,   155 

Missionaries'  wives,  78 

Missionary,  administration, 
32-61 ;  call  and  candidates, 
66-84,  252,  253 ;  education, 
238-243 ;  giving  and  sup- 
port, 90-112,  238,  243-252; 
motives,   2-25 ;    obligation, 

236,  237,  258,  259;  prayer 
and  spiritual  consecration, 
253-260;      reinforcements, 

237,  238;  work,  1 18-142 
Missions,   Right  balance   of 

home    and    foreign,    249, 

250 
Mistakes,  The  uses  of,  167 
Mitchell,  Dr.  Arthur,  quot- 
ed, 195,  257 
Money,    Accurate    handling 

of,  44 
Mongol     tribes     James 

Gilmour  among,  84 
Monotony  missionary  life, 

215 
Moody,     Mr.,     definite     a- 

mount  for  his  services,  108 


Moravian     Church    an    ex- 
ample,    246 ;     Zinzendorf 
and  Moravianism,  256 
Morrison  in  China,  23 
Motives  in  missions,  2-25 
Municipal   social   helps,   ab- 
sence of,  abroad,  98 
Music,    Knowledge    of,    an 
advantage,  80 

Nanking,  Favorable  proc- 
lamation of  the  prefect  of, 
189 

Native  Church,  Develop- 
ment aimed  at,  149-151; 
right  to  autonomy,  as  re- 
spects creed  and  polity, 
160-170 

Native  money  for  native 
workers,  154-156 

Natives,  Mental  acumen  of, 
70;  mode  of  life  of,  100- 
103 

Naylor,  Wilson  S.,  quoted, 
117 

Neal,  A  patient  of  Dr.,  131 

Necessity  for  a  native 
Church,   151 

Needs  of  the  field,  237 ;  rein- 
forcements and  funds,  238 

Non-christian  peoples,  The 
state  of,  9,  17,  18,  21 

Non-christian  religions,  Op- 
position from  the,  141 

Object-lesson,  The  home  an, 

105 
Obligation,    The    extent    of 

missionary,  4,  10,  11,  236 
Ofi'ice   work,    Range   of,   42 
Open    mind    desirable,    57 
Opportunity,  The  Church's, 

Opposition  from  non-chris- 
tian religions,  141 


Index 


283 


Orient  no  long-er  a  mystery, 
3 

Orientals,  Drawbacks  to 
their  education  in  West- 
ern lands,  158;  right  to 
develop  their  doctrinal 
view  of  Christianity, 
163-166 

Paoting  fu,  Change  of  opin- 
ion in,  1 89 

Patience  a  requisite  in  the 
work,  24 

Paul's  commission,  12 ;  Paul 
and  Barnabas  as  models, 
68;  conditions  in  Paul's 
time,  150 

Peale,  Last  letter  of  Mr., 
222 

Persia,  Missionary  "palace" 
in,  III 

Persistence  of  missionaries, 
220 

Petition,  A  closing,  260 

Philanthropic  motives,  The, 
18 

Philippine  Islands,  rapid 
progress  in,  204 

Physical   requirements,  69 

Picked  men  on  the  field,  68 

Pietism,  256 

Pitkin,  Horace  Tracy,  quot- 
ed 210 

Plague-stricken  places,  133, 
212 

Policy,  The  correct  mission- 
ary, 160 

Pope  of  Rome,  Claims  of 
the,  161 

Positions  declined  for  gos- 
pel reasons,  223 

Prayer  as  a  missionary 
force,  253-255 ;  essential  to 
development  of  the  home 
Church,  253 


Preaching  not  an  Oriental 
method,  129 

Presbyterian  Church  meth- 
ods, 36,  37 

Presses  conducted  by  mis- 
sion boards,  127 

Prices,  at  the  Laos  Mission, 
95 ;  in  South  America,  96 

Primary  and  secondary  mo- 
tives, 6,  17 

Procedure  in  making  appli- 
cation, 82 

Protection  to  Missionaries, 
191 

Protestant  Episcopal  m.eth- 
ods,  36,  37 

Prudential  Committee,  The, 
38 

Public  and  private  assistants 
in  foreign  lands,  98,  99 

Qualifications  required  in 
missionary  candidates,  66- 
80;  other  desirable  quali- 
ties, 80 

Queen  Victoria's  Jubilee, 
The  anthem  on,  254 

Race  prejudice,  3 

Racial  spirit,  162 

Range  of  the  missionary's 
work,  42,  119 

Reasons  against  a  candidate 
applying,  not  to  have  un- 
due weight,  80,  81 

Receipts  irregular  in  reach- 
ing mission  boards,  108 

Reconstructions  come  slow- 
ly, 140 

Recruiting  tour  in  the  Utum 
country.  A,  136 

Reed,  Mrs.,  226 

Reform  movements.  The 
missionary  and,    137,  139 


284 


Index 


Rejection,  Proper  view  of, 
a  candidate's,  8i 

Religious  books  and  tracts. 
The  influence  of,  128 

Requirements  in  a  candi- 
date, The  chief,  79 

Residences  of  missionaries, 
The  cost  of,  112 

Riis,  Jacob  A.,  quoted,  250 

Risk  of  support  on  the  field. 
The  Church  to  carry  the, 
109 

Romance  of  missions  dis- 
pelled, 4 

Ross,  Dr.  John,  quoted,  152 

Salaries,  The  system  in,  92, 

107 
Sanitation,    absence    of,    in 

heathen  lands,  212 
Scholl,  George,  quoted,  66 
Schools      in      non-christian 

lands,  21 
Schwartz,    referred    to,    256 
Science,  Missions  a,  34 
Sectarianism,    least    promi- 
nent in  mission  work,  193 
Secular   work.   The,  70,   71, 

93,  124 
Self-help  vital  to  character. 

Self-sacrificing    devotion    a- 

broad,  220-228;   at  home, 

39-45 
Self-supporting    church    the 

aim.  A,  24,  157,  160 
Servant   question.    The,   97- 

100 
Shanghai,       The       mission 

presses     in,     127;     rescue 

home  in,  139 
"Share"    or    "station"    plan, 

The,  =56 
Sheffield,  Dr.  D.  Z.,  94 
Siam,  Boys' school  incident 


in   Bangkok,  123 ;  gambling 

in,    139;    gifts    from    the 

King,  191 
Sick    and    starving    people. 

The,  96 
Significant  changes,  4 
Slums,  Missions  in  the  New 

York    and    London,    193, 

194 
Societies,  The  work  of  the 

Bible,  128,  129 
Society  in  Japan,  The  state 

of,  218 
South    America,    Prices    in, 

96 
Southern    Baptist    Conven- 
tion methods,  38 
Special    objects.    Giving   to, 

50-55 
Speer,    Robert    E.,    quoted, 

234 
Spener,  referred  to,  256 
Spiritual     aim     in     secular 

work,24 
Spiritual   life,   The,   79 
Starvation   always    at   hand 

to  the  Chinese,  217 
Statistics,  adherents  and  in- 
quirers, 134,  187 ;  Bibles 
or  portions  of  Scripture 
circulated,  128,  129; 
churches  and  communi- 
cants abroad,  134,  187; 
churches  and  communi- 
cants at  home,  194;  con- 
verts in  the  mission  field, 
187;  expense  of  mission- 
ary administration,  47 ; 
gains  in  the  foreign  field, 
204;  gifts  in  the  home 
field,  largely  to  education 
and  literature,  196;  hos- 
pitals, dispensaries,  and 
patients,    133 ;    income    of 


Index 


mission  boards  in  United 
States  and  Great  Britain, 
196;  increase  of  force  and 
income  needed,  237,  238; 
martj'rs  among  Chinese 
Christians,  187 ;  members 
of  mission  boards,  2i7y  38  J 
native  agents,  187 ;  presses 
in  mission  fields  and  pages 
issued,  127 ;  prices  of  sup- 
plies abroad,  95,  96;  ratio 
of  increase  of  communi- 
cants at  home  and  abroad. 
203;  ratio  of  ministers  and 
Christian  workers  at 
home  and  abroad,  83,  194; 
residences  of  missionaries, 
112;  running  expenses  of 
churches  at  home.  195, 
196;  salaries  of  mission- 
aries, 92;  school  totals, 
126;  visitors  at  mission- 
aries homes,  100 
Sta^nng  qualities,  The,  'j'^ 
Stead,  Mr.,  referred  to,  182 

Stevenson,  J.   Ross,  quoted, 

2 
Stevenson,    R.    L.,    referred 

to,   221 

Stock,    Eugene,    quoted,    z^^ 

66,  90 
Strain,  A  constant,  214,  219 
Strong,   Dr.    E.    E.,   quoted, 

55 

Subordinated  relation  of 
missionaries,  embarrass- 
ments of,  161 

Successes,  Missionary,  203- 
205 

Support  only,  not  compen- 
sation, 91 

Supreme  duty.  The 
Church's,  15 


Supreme  thought,  Christ's, 
14 

Taft,  William  H.,  referred 
to,  91 

Technical  training.  Ad- 
vantages of  a,  70 

Temperament  always  a  fac- 
tor, 74 

Tests  for  candidates,  68,  69 

Thoburn,  James  M.,  quoted 

Time    required    for    recon- 
struction, 140 
Tour  in  the  Utum  country, 

A,  136 
Traders,   Infamous,   184 
Treatment     accorded    cows 

and  women,   122 
Treaty  ports,   Foreign   resi- 
dents in  the,  183-185 
Tuan  Fang,   quoted,   189 
Turkey,  A  gift  of  a,  97 
T^-ler  in  South  Africa,  23 

Ulfilas,  referred  to,  256 
Unjust  criticism,  97 
Urumia,  The  mission  liome 

at  Lake,  iii 
Utum  country.   Experiences 

in  the,  136 

Vice  in  the  East,  218,  260 
Voluntary      gifts      of      the 

people,    to    the    workers, 

107,   108 
Von   Welz   referred  to,  256 

Wainwright,  S.  W.,  quoted, 

66 
Warren.      Charles,     quoted, 

176 

Wellington.  The  Duke  of, 
quoted,    15 


286 


Index 


Wesley      and      Methodism, 

256 
¥/idely  traveled  laymen,  184 
Wife  of  a  missionary.  The, 

Winton,  George  B.,  quoted, 

148 
Witnesses,    The    early,    255, 

256 
"Women,  The  status  of,  122 


Women's   societies,   36 
Work,      The      missionary's 

varied,  119,  186 
Workers,      Churches      and, 

194,  19s ;  native  money  for 

native,  156 
World  evangelization,  33 

Zinzendorf    and    Moravian- 
ism,  256 
Zorop^^.er,  23 


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Williams. 


The  forward  mission  study  courses  are  an  out- 
growth of  a  conference  of  leaders  in  young  people's 
mission  work,  held  in  New  York  City,  December,  looi. 
To  meet  the  need  that  was  manifested  at  that  confer- 
ence for  mission  study  text-books  suitable  for  young 
people,  two  of  the  delegates,  Professor  Amos  R.  Wells, 
of  the  United  Society  of  Christian  Endeavor,  and  Mr. 
S.  Earl  Taylor,  Chairman  of  the  General  Missionary 
Committee  of  the  Ep worth  League,  projected  the  For- 
ward Mission  Study  Courses.  These  courses  have 
been  officially  adopted  by  the  Young  People's  Mission- 
ary   Movement,    and    are    now    under    the    immediate 


direction  of  the  Editorial  Committee  of  the  Movement. 
The  books  of  the  Movement  are  now  being  used  by 
more  than  forty  home  and  foreign  mission  boards  and 
societies  of  the  United  States  and  Canada. 

The  aim  is  to  publish  a  series  of  text-books  cover- 
ing the  various  home  and  foreign  mission  fields,  and 
written  by  leading  authorities.  The  entire  series  when 
completed  will  comprise  perhaps  as  many  as  forty 
text-books. 

The  following  text-books  having  a  sale  of  over 
450,000  have  been  published: 

I.  The  Price  of  Africa.  (Biographical.)  By  S. 
Earl  Taylor. 

2.  Into  All  the  World.  A  general  survey  of 
missions.     By  Amos  R.  Wells. 

3.  Princely  Men  in  the  Heavenly  Kingdom. 
(Biographical.)     By  Harlan  P.  Beach. 

4.  Sunrise  in  the  Sunrise  Kingdom.  A  study  of 
Japan.     By   John    EI.    De    Forest. 

5.  Heroes  of  the  Cross  in  America.  Home  Mis- 
sions.    (Biographical.)     By    Don    O.    Shelton. 

6.  Daybreak  in  the  Dark  Continent.  A  study 
of  Africa.     By  Wilson  S.  Naylor. 

7.  The  Christian  Conquest  of  India.  A  study 
of  India.     By  James   M.   Thoburn. 

8.  Aliens  or  Americans?  A  study  of  Immigra- 
tion.    By  Howard  B,  Grose. 

9.  The  Uplift  of  China.  A  study  of  China.  By 
Arthur  H.  Smith. 

10.  The  Challenge  of  the  City.  A  study  of  the 
City.     By  Josiah  Strong. 

II.  The  Why  and  How  of  Foreign  Missions. 
A  study  of  the  relation  of  the  home  Church  to 
the  foreign  missionary  enterprise.  By  Arthur  J. 
Brown. 


12.  The  Moslem  World.  A  study  of  the  Mo- 
hammedan World.     By  Samuel  M.  Zwemer. 

These  books  are  pubHshed  by  mutual  arrangement 
among  the  home  and  foreign  mission  boards,  to  whom 
all  orders  should  be  addressed.  They  are  bound  uni- 
formly, and  are  sold  for  50  cents,  in  cloth,  and  35  cents, 
in  paper,  postage  extra. 


ncelon   Theological  Seminary-Speer  Libnr 


1    1012  01091   5165 


DATE  DUE 

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DEMCO  38-297 


